Update: And it gets worse: KIDS!!!!
A One-Two Punch:
January 31st Press Conference
Help Us fight the What Has to the Worst Abuse of Monopoly Power!! Please Sign this Petition!!! (Why? see below)
In this six minute video NYT's best-selling author of 'How to Make a Killing' summarizes many of the problems in kidney dialysis:
- Patients die sooner, yet treatment costs are more than any other developed nation
- High speed treatments that damage the heart
- Assembly line, fast food, one size fits all treatments
- Short staffing
- Low wages
- High pressure environment
- Puts profits ahead of patients and workers (epitomized by the for-profit large dialysis organizations DaVita and Fresenius)
- Shows the results of private equity roll up in medicine
*It looks like this issue has been gaining quite a bit of attention: "@RepMaxineWaters, @RepKatiePorter, @RepAdamSchiff, and @RepZoeLofgren have already been laying into the big two for-profit dialysis companies (DaVita and Fresenius) at places like the January 31st Press Conference mentioned (above). Senators @ChuckGrassley, @SenatorRonWyden, @SenBlumenthal, @SenatorShaheen, @SenatorHassan and Representatives @RepDelBene, @RepLarryBucshon, and @RepChrisPappas have all shown an interest in this." from Blog #21, DialysisEthics.org
February 29th "Rally To Congress" (Undo Big Dialysis!!!)
After a rally in front of the DC capitol where testimonials and cries of "Undo Big Dialysis" were heard, we brought our concerns and SOLUTIONS to the halls of congress! We brought those things to the offices of Federal Representatives Maxine Waters and Jason Crow.
From M.I. Mother's Keeper's 'Dialysis Resilience Hub' webpage:
- Solution: The nephrologists (kidney doctors) must lose their exemption to the Stark Law. This exemption to the Stark Law allows these doctors to profit off their patients. Why is this a problem? For example innovations like 'Community Dialysis Houses' where many patients could practice self-care could be stifled. Doctors are less likely to refer a patient to a place where they don't have a financial interest. Free the nephrologists from their gilded cage! Allow the doctors to put the patients' interests first! (not their own)
- Solution: We demand real oversight for this industry: serious regulations enforced by independent regulators at the state and federal level, not by the current captured, conflicted regulators who often defend the interests of corporations over those of patients.
- Solution: We must de-monopolize Big Dialysis, where two multi-billion-dollar firms have achieved an 80% stranglehold on the market, hurting both dialysis patients and dialysis workers. Warren Buffett's monopolistic ways haven't played well for dialysis (owns 40% of DaVita). Need more info? This article should get you started. Find more with this Reading List.
- Solution: Decent patient/staff ratios are needed. Staff is underpaid, under-trained, and overworked! All for "per capita costs" that are "the highest in the industrialized world" Source: M.I. Mother's Keeper fact sheet.
- For more Solutions and Concerns visit: M.I. Mother's Keeper's 'Dialysis Resilience Hub' webpage.
Update: And it gets worse: KIDS!!!!
Help Us fight the What Has to the Worst Abuse of Monopoly Power!! Please Sign this Petition!!!
