American Kidney Fund President Responds to Assembly Passage of California AB 290

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (May 22, 2019) — American Kidney Fund (AKF) president and CEO LaVarne A. Burton issued the following statement after the California State Assembly voted to pass AB 290 (Wood), a bill that will harm thousands of low-income dialysis and transplant patients throughout California:

"We are extremely disappointed the California State Assembly voted in support of cutting off vital health care support for some of California's neediest and sickest residents. The California ESRD patients who turn to the American Kidney Fund for charitable assistance in paying their health insurance premiums are already in dire financial straits, and AB 290 will destroy the safety net they depend on. If this bill becomes law, it will quickly force AKF to stop providing charitable premium assistance to patients in California.

"Now, the fate of health care assistance for thousands of low-income Californians rests in the hands of the State Senate. We sincerely hope the Senate will recognize just how high the stakes are for these patients and reject this legislation that helps no one but insurers, at the same time it causes great harm to patients."