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Update: And it gets worse: KIDS!!!!
Blog #21 mentioned some of our US congressional people who have shown an interest in what has been happening in kidney dialysis - and some who have shown a very strong interest! Could this be an issue that could unite the parties? (bear with me) The old-school Dems over the years have been perceived by some as caring about quality of care and workers' rights. And have recognized we all need a little help now and then. The old-school Republicans on the other hand were at one time thought to be in favor of local control, picking themselves up by the bootstraps, and fiscal conservatism - all qualities that have been severely lacking in kidney dialysis!
How so? This writer could see many old-school Republicans in favor of things like local small clinics which would be much more manageable than the current Goliath big two scandal-ridden dialysis companies who fight any type of reform at every turn - and have the big bucks to shout down any opposition!
Old-school Republicans are also known to preach about picking-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps. (haven't always practiced what they preached) What is more 'picking yourself up' than home dialysis where self-care is emphasized? Which leads to fiscal conservatism. At home, patients don't need a clinic's building surrounding them or staff helping them out - a big cost savings!
The old-school Dems on the other hand might point out there are going to be people who are in too bad of shape to ever qualify for home dialysis and clinics are always going to be needed - and there are people who just don't want the hassle for one reason or another. Choice needs to be a factor in all this! And those in clinics deserve staff that is well-trained and not worked to death with improper staff to patient ratios!
So this is my olive branch to both sides. (please don't hit me with it)
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This email went out to Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway, there is still still time for Buffett to change course before he hears the voice of Jacob Marley, I mean Charlie Munger!
To whom it may concern,Today this writer is feeling a bit more forgiving than when this latest version of a 'A Christmas Carol' was written. I know Mr. Munger has stated he liked to invest in "Wonderful companies at a Fair price". So was Mr. Buffett in 'cigar butt' mode when it was decided to invest in the huge dialysis company DaVita? (cigar butt, Mr. Munger came up with an apt name for such a company) Did Buffett manage to slip this one past Mr. Munger? It could be that only this investing duo could answer that question.A warning shot was given this last May at the annual Omaha meeting when this 'Billionaire Information Packet' was left in the door handles of an admin office at the Omaha CHI Health Center. It may be too late for Mr. Munger to bring about any change - that is besides playing the role of the ghost of Jacob Marley. But there is still a chance for Mr. Buffett. If this writer isn't getting through yet, I may have to emphasize the 'Child Mortality Stats' once again!Many of us believe the way to start to bring true fundamental change to kidney dialysis is to break up DaVita!!!Sincerely,Chris SchwabP.S. There are more and more people becoming aware of this. Quite a few flyers were handed out when much of this presentation was laid out at my church. A good place to start would be this video. And are there any reasons left NOT to break up DaVita?
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(Post-update: 'Save the Billionaires (or not)' Walk in Omaha Nebraska May 6th, 2023!)
For years this site has been a tinderbox with all the various problems highlighted in kidney dialysis and I was content to keep the site up and go my way. Then along came the announcement of a book. It put a log on that tinderbox, but no flames yet. Then along came this article - ignition.
It brought me back to a day in 2012 when we were in the Colorado Senate Health and Human Services committee for the renewal of a Colorado state bill. I was answering questions after my testimony. At about 11:15 of this video, State Senator (R) Kevin Lundberg basically stated that it was ironic we didn't need tech certification when it was mostly nurses giving dialysis treatments back in the old days. I think I gave him a good answer, but I really wanted to tell him what I thought the root of problem was - a for-profit system that was putting their bottom line ahead of patient care! But I bit my lip since we had an uneasy alliance with the large for-profit dialysis companies DaVita and Fresenius, they were also backing the bill at that point (they were against it in 2007).
So for more than twenty years I've felt uneasy that only band-aids seem to be being put on this kidney dialysis field of medicine - not real fundamental change that I can see! What kind of fundamental change would I like to see? I mentioned it in these two blogs: Blog #5 and Blog #6. Bottom line, break them up - and care cooperatives are looking very, very promising!
I've spent years screaming about the problems in kidney dialysis (plenty of ammo). Maybe it is time to do some screaming about the way it could be!
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