Cuts threaten dialysis patients

TO THE EDITOR

Davita Washington and Elberton Dialysis facilities are home to 116 dialysis patients from the surrounding communities. As alarming as this number is, it represents the growing population of kidney care patients. As your readers may know, dialysis is a blood-cleansing process necessary for those who have lost kidney function. The care we provide is not optional - short of a kidney transplant, dialysis treatments are, simply put, life-saving. These are our family, friends and neighbors who, simply put, rely on these treatment for their lives.

There is a debate in Washington, D.C., that will cut future Medicare payments for these life-saving treatments. Our elected officials in Washington, D.C. are apparently unaware of the unintended consequences of cutting Medicare funding to these patients. In addition, it seems that our elected officials need to be educated about the growing crisis of kidney disease and the need for more awareness and educational programs.

Programs that provide necessary outreach to rural and underserved communities are targeted for cuts which is ironic since the increasing numbers of kidney patients call these communities home.

I bring my frontline caregiver perspective to an issue that should be at the forefront of all concerned families, friends and neighbors. For our elected officials to cut Medicare funding that defy the facts of a disease or of a growing chronic illness population is inexcusable - is wrong and should be made right.

GERRY WILSON-DUKES,

LMSW