Social Worker Sees Health Reform's Impact in CF Work

According to social worker Kim Reno, removing critical health care protections in current law would be devastating for people with cystic fibrosis and their families.

| 2 min read
Paydon-Miller-Headshot
Paydon Miller
Paydon-Miller-Kim-Reno-And-Patient-Featured-Rectangle

Kim Reno doesn't have cystic fibrosis, but she sees its effects on her patients and their families every day. As a social worker at the CF care center at ProMedica in Toledo, Ohio, she helps people manage their CF and tackle challenges related to living with a chronic disease.

Kim says that although she has seen dramatic improvements in treating the disease during her career, many families face financial ruin to access the treatments they need.

“I remember the days when people were meeting their lifetime coverage cap with just one procedure,” she says. “People were fearful. One transplant alone can prevent people from affording future care.”

While CF can be incredibly difficult to live with, Kim says some of the most heartbreaking stories she's heard from her patients are related to financial struggles and families having to pay overwhelming out-of-pocket expenses to access necessary treatment.

But instead of dwelling on this, Kim tries to focus her energy on reforming the health care system in a way that benefits everyone -- including the CF community. That's why she educates lawmakers at her state capital about CF and the needs of the rare disease community as a whole.

“Lawmakers often look at the dollar signs when considering coverage needs for small populations,” she says. “You can't put a price on somebody's life. Our patients can go to college and become productive members of society as long as they have the care they require.”

Kim fears how her patients would be impacted if critical protections in current law were removed -- like the provisions prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions and the ban on lifetime and annual coverage caps.

“My patients would be choosing between medication and food, clothing, or shelter,” she says. “It would be devastating.”

Learn more about the Foundation's work to help ensure that any changes to health care reflect the unique needs of the CF community.

This site contains general information about cystic fibrosis, as well as personal insight from the CF community. Opinions and experiences shared by members of our community, including but not limited to people with CF and their families, belong solely to the blog post author and do not represent those of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, unless explicitly stated. In addition, the site is not intended as a substitute for treatment advice from a medical professional. Consult your doctor before making any changes to your treatment.

Share this article
Topics
Care Centers | Advocacy
Paydon-Miller-Headshot

Paydon previously worked at the CF Foundation as a Public Policy and Advocacy Communications Manager. Prior to joining the Foundation, Paydon spent three years working for Enroll America -- a national non-profit dedicated to helping consumers understand and navigate the Affordable Care Act -- most recently as National Communicators Program Director. A Wisconsin native, Paydon is a competitive homebrewer, a fair-to-middling banjo player and an avid bicyclist. If you're curious, his father named him after Paden, who is a character in the movie “Silverado.” Follow @Paydon on Twitter.

Recent Community Posts
Becoming a Nurse to Advocate for Patients
Blog | 6 min read
Finding Balance With Cystic Fibrosis and Dating
Blog | 10 min read
Finding Hope: Life Without CFTR Modulators
Blog | 5 min read
You might also be interested in...