Help needed for people with kidney disease July 12, 2017 I was diagnosed with kidney failure at age 12, and I undergo long hemodialysis treatments multiple times per week. Dialysis costs an average of $89,000 per year and, although  HYPERLINK "http://www.baltimoresun.com/topic/health/healthcare/medicare-HEPRG00002-topic.html" \o "Medicare" Medicare pays 80 percent of the costs, the remaining amount is more than I can afford. I am fortunate that Maryland allows dialysis patients under age 65 to buy so-called “Medigap” insurance, which supplements Medicare coverage and makes dialysis and other necessary treatments easier to afford. But 22 states nationwide prohibit dialysis patients under age 65 from buying Medigap coverage. In those states, people with kidney failure struggle to pay for lifesaving care. Fortunately, legislation in Congress would solve this problem. Called the  HYPERLINK "https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2644" \t "_blank" Chronic Kidney Disease Improvement in Research and Treatment Act (H.R. 3976) the bill would guarantee that dialysis patients can buy Medigap coverage wherever they live. I and other volunteers with Dialysis Patient Citizens, an advocacy group for people with kidney disease, urge the Maryland congressional delegation to support this bill so dialysis patients receive the care they deserve. Maria Robinson, Dundalk HYPERLINK "http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/readersrespond/bs-ed-rr-dialysis-20170712-story.html" http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/readersrespond/bs-ed-rr-dialysis-20170712-story.html