Dialysis Treatments in a Spare Bedroom
Raleigh, North Carolina – Crystal Up Church has transformed a spare room in her apartment into a makeshift dialysis center.
As she walked through her space, she pointed to the IV pole and said, “This is what I use to connect to a bag of liquid. I have to check my weight, blood pressure, and temperature before starting my treatment.”
She administers her own treatment three to four times daily.
The 35-year-old has been living with lupus for the past 16 years and is now preparing for a kidney transplant.
Medicaid will cover her necessary supplies and future surgeries.
However, she’s worried that her financial situation might be uncertain because of significant expenses looming ahead.
The Trump administration asserts that the new law aims to enhance Medicaid integrity by tackling what they define as waste, fraud, and abuse.
According to the governor’s office, over 3 million residents in North Carolina are part of the program.
Dr. Dev Sangvai, Secretary of NCDHHS, noted that the legislation could reduce funding for rural hospitals, endangering 150,000 North Carolinians on Medicaid.
He estimated that, within the next decade, this could lead to almost $50 billion in losses for North Carolina in various aspects. “This certainly poses a risk to the overall financial sustainability of healthcare providers,” he remarked.
Upchurch mentioned she has enough supplies to last until month’s end and hopes to continue receiving support from federal resources.
A recent survey indicates that Black women experienced the highest mortality rate from lupus among all racial groups from 1999 to 2020.
“As Black women, we face enough challenges in accessing the treatment we deserve, not to mention proper insurance,” Upchurch pointed out. “If I lose Medicaid and can’t cover my treatment, my risk of dying increases significantly.”
DHHS is currently collaborating with the General Assembly to explore solutions for addressing the financial gaps.
