American Kidney Fund Issues Statement on California Senate Health Committee Vote

ROCKVILLE, Maryland, April 19 -- The American Kidney Fund issued the following statement on a California Senate Health Committee vote:

We are disappointed that all the Senate Health Committee members, with the exception of Senator Roth, put insurers' profits and special interests ahead of the very real needs of low-income people living with kidney failure in their districts. SB 1156 would legalize discrimination by insurers against dialysis patients, most of whom are low-income and minorities. That is just plain wrong.

Insurers want to dump dialysis patients off their plans and with the Senate Health Committee's vote, they are one step closer to their goal. Nearly 4,000 California residents who depend on charitable assistance from the American Kidney Fund to pay their health insurance premiums stand to lose their coverage as a result.

Let's hope the full California Senate sees this bill for what it is--a heartless, profit-driven attempt to pull the safety net out from under some of California's most medically vulnerable residents.