Lake County Times

COLUMBUS–The House Insurance Committee yesterday held sponsor testimony on House Bill 400, announced bill sponsors, State Representatives Jamie Callender (R-Concord) and Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Westlake). House Bill 400 aims to extend Medigap coverage to patients in Ohio diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

"Policymakers can make Ohio the 18th state to enact similar protections so that no Ohioan living with ALS is left without affordable Medigap options when facing this devastating terminal illness," expressed Kara Nett Hinkley, Vice President of State Policy at The ALS Association, emphasizing the importance of providing support to ALS patients.

Hrant Jamgochian, J.D., LL.M, CEO of Dialysis Patient Citizens, highlighted the significance of the bill by stating, “Dialysis patients deserve to be treated equitably—no matter their age—with access to affordable Medigap coverage, which provides access to life-saving kidney transplantation and helps families struggling with ESRD to avoid medical bankruptcy in order to afford their medical care."

Representative Callender stressed the impact of the proposed legislation on families, stating, “Every year, hundreds of families here in Ohio receive the crushing news that their loved one has been diagnosed with a terminal disease." He emphasized the relief the bill could bring by removing the financial burden on families facing terminal illnesses.

Representative Sweeney echoed the sentiment, highlighting the financial and social benefits of HB 400, “HB 400 doesn’t just make sense for the patients and families impacted by these heartbreaking diagnoses, it makes sense for Ohio taxpayers too." She emphasized the importance of providing support to terminally-ill patients and families without overburdening the healthcare system.

House Bill 400 aims to alleviate the financial strain on families of ESRD and ALS patients by extending Medigap coverage, which could provide relief for the significant out-of-pocket expenses associated with these conditions. The bill now awaits proponent testimony in the House Insurance Committee.