- Details
- Written by: Super User
- Category: Blog
- Hits: 1050
Petition (and see our visit to DC and DC Press Conference + Rally)
(Did John Oliver find Uncle Warren Buffett's 'idiot nephew'? - click on image)
The following (below the dashed line) is what has been written to a federal Congressman. There is hope this example inspires others to write their federal reps and senators. (link for federal contact info) It could be as simple as asking those in congress to ask Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger the following (they own 40% of DaVita):
"There are a lot of reasons DaVita (the huge kidney dialysis company) should be broken up (the numbers, scandals), are there any reasons left indicating DaVita SHOULDN'T be broken up into something like small care co-ops?" (text example that can be copied and pasted into a contact webpage)
(above question also in bold and underlined at the bottom of the blog) (this and 9+ other ways to participate)
!!!P.S. The following History and recent Children's stats linked to, need to be emphasized!!! Update: And it gets worse: KIDS!!!!
------------------------------
Rep. (Jason) Crow,
I've been writing you about my thoughts about DaVita (headquartered in Denver) and kidney dialysis. I've spent over twenty years seeing all kinds of reasons why the huge dialysis companies should be busted into little pieces. Lately though before the little scouting mission I did in Omaha on May 6th. I - and I hope others - started writing Warren Buffett, Charlie Munger, Berkshire, and CNBC asking why DaVita shouldn't be busted up! I haven't heard anything back, I'm sure they have just been busy. But I'm sure the "Billionaire Information Packet" I left in front of the administrative offices of the Berkshire Omaha event is being studied as I write! (I crack me up)
However I have to wonder if the above people might be able to find time for somebody with a little more clout than I have - who better than my federal representatives? I'm sure there must be some good explanation as to why the dialysis mortality rate has plateaued at such a high level for so many years - among other questions. (I've got my guesses)
Speaking of other questions, I can point to questions I've been trying to get answered for years from Kent Thiry, former CEO of DaVita. I'm sure he too has just been busy! Who knows? Maybe he could find time for you!
With Tom Mueller's book 'How to Make a Killing: Blood, Death and Dollars in American Medicine' coming out in August, I wouldn't be surprised to find out Congress has even more reasons to do some inquiring! This looks like an issue that could be bipartisan and could bring together fiscal conservative Republicans and Democrats who care about responsible health care. It could be a break from the partisan wars!
But my first question for Berkshire and DaVita would be: "There are a lot of reasons DaVita should be broken up (the numbers, scandals), are there any reasons left indicating DaVita SHOULDN'T be broken up into something like small care co-ops?". It sounds like a question a federal representative could be asking now!
Regards,
[Name]
DialysisEthics2.org
***August 26th, 2024 Update: Recent emails to Rep. Jason Crow
------------------------------
More examples of messages for our Federal Reps
Petition (and see our visit to DC and DC Press Conference + Rally)
- Details
- Written by: Super User
- Category: Blog
- Hits: 1337
Organization Introduction
Personal Intro
A Quick Minute Look
HQ-Save-the-Billionaires-or-not-Walk-updates
Petition (and see our visit to DC and DC Press Conference + Rally)
!!!P.S. The following History and recent Children's stats linked to, need to be emphasized!!! Update: And it gets worse: KIDS!!!!
--------------------------------------------------------------
(Why a Walk? Warren Buffett's Berkshire owns 40% of the huge dialysis company DaVita - while less than 1% of the Berkshire portfolio. DaVita has been plagued by scandals and horrifying stats)
The Walk (from Omaha NE's Justice Center to the CHI Health Center during the Warren Buffett event) turned out fine from my point of view! The band was there and three people: me, myself, and I! So not a lot of jostling and elbows. I was a little surprised since the lead article on the DialysisEthics site got well over 2000 hits! But a scouting mission was just fine with me - next year I should have a friend or two along - and a better idea of how it should go. I'll share the peace of mind I felt after the event was over - this after insomnia had been my unwelcome friend. I do hope the Walk helped supercharge the emails sent to CNBC and Warren Buffett - but I may never know.
But New York Times best-selling author Tom Mueller had this to say about the event: "Well done!" "A lone voice shouting in the wilderness is a powerful image. All prophets are that voice." And here I thought I was just Don Quixote out having a good time! Tom's book 'How to Make a Killing: Blood, Death, and Dollars in American Medicine' is out August 1st. That's not a very encouraging title about dialysis is it?
The band was at the starting point and played to a few pedestrians and cars passing by and we had a dancing homeless guy who really enjoyed it! (I think they made his day!) I handed out flyers to the people passing by (so few).
I then did the walk and handed flyers to people as they passed by. I think it is much easier handing out flyers about dialysis than something political - no arguments. The best part was running into quite a few people (more than I expected) who had relatives who did or had done dialysis. We had great conversations!
I got in surprisingly easily. I had my brokerage statements with me (one share of brk.b) I did like the RVs and the cowboy hats. However I was having a hard time giving anybody this 'billionaire information packet' - all refused. But then I walked by the administration offices - doors were locked.
So I shoved the packet into the door handles and left. I'm sure it is sitting on Charlie Munger's or Warren Buffett's desk right now!
Next year's event is a ways off! But here is a suggested reading list if anybody is interested:
--------------------------------
- a starting article: Warren Buffett: America's Folksiest Predator by Matt Stoller August 9th, 2020
--------------------------------
Books:
- 'Goliath' by Matt Stoller (may we raise the spirit of Texas Congressman Wright Patman)
- 'Division of Light and Power' by Dennis Kucinich (his fight as mayor for Muni Light was epic and read like a thriller) (utilities and dialysis clinics both carve out a geographical area)
- 'Monopolized' by David Dayen (started reading it, sounds like dialysis isn't the only area seeing the effects of concentrated corporate power!)
- And a fourth that might be a little bit of a surprise. (or not)
Petition (and see our visit to DC and DC Press Conference + Rally)
- Details
- Written by: Super User
- Category: Blog
- Hits: 1342
Intro
A Quick Minute Look
HQ-Save-the-Billionaires-or-not-Walk-updates
Petition (and see our visit to DC and DC Press Conference + Rally)
!!!P.S. The following History and recent Children's stats linked to, need to be emphasized!!! Update: And it gets worse: KIDS!!!!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Some of us associated with DialysisEthics were interviewed by NYT's best-selling author Tom Mueller. There was hope the author would find we were a bunch of misled people. We could just slink off to the shadows with egg on our faces and never be heard from again! Some of us have spent over twenty years staring at some God-Awful stories. Not to mention articles and media we've had to endure and the horrifying numbers we have dug up. Surely someone would come along and convince us kidney dialysis is a land of great medical care - freeing us from a twenty-some year prison we have been in! We were hoping to hear "you people are full of it and currently things are great, and here is why!"
But no! Tom Mueller came out with this book due in August: "How to make a Killing: Blood, Death, and Dollars in American Medicine". That's not what we were hoping for! And it gets worse! The author goes on to say:
"How did a lifesaving medical breakthrough become a for-profit enterprise that threatens the people it’s meant to save?
Six decades ago, researchers achieved the impossible: a treatment that made kidney failure a manageable condition instead of a death sentence. And yet, in the hands of a predatory medical industry, this triumph led to skyrocketing costs and worsening care.
A gripping microcosm of American health care gone wrong, How to Make a Killing recounts how the optimism of the 1950s and 1960s—when transplants and early dialysis machines offered hope—gave way to anguished debates about the ethics of rationing (and profiting from) life-saving care. After Congress made renal disease the only “Medicare for All” condition, Big Dialysis proliferated, and the Hippocratic oath gave way to the profit motive.
A triumph of investigative research, Tom Mueller’s book features an unforgettable cast of characters: CEOs who dress as Musketeers to exhort more aggressive profit-seeking, nephrologist insiders who reveal the substandard care this causes, and heroic patients who risk their lives to reveal the truth."
So I guess it is back to putting the shackles back on and being glad we have three hots and a cot. Maybe the duopoly dialysis companies will convince Mr. Mueller they are made of sunshine and lollipops (like Warren Buffett's castle) - they sure haven't been able to convince us! We were hoping for a savior, but all we got was another instigator and troublemaker! (like we have been labeled) But seriously, welcome to the club Tom! We are glad to have you!
Intro - for a more serious take
Petition (and see our visit to DC and DC Press Conference + Rally)
HQ-Save-the-Billionaires-Walk-updates+info
- Details
- Written by: Super User
- Category: Blog
- Hits: 1037
Intro
A Quick Minute Look
HQ-Save-the-Billionaires-or-not-Walk-updates
Petition (and see our visit to DC and DC Press Conference + Rally)
!!!P.S. The following History and recent Children's stats linked to, need to be emphasized!!! Update: And it gets worse: KIDS!!!!
---------------------------------------------------
What is a major problem with this country? The interns have broken out of the accounting department!!! (one bean for you, two beans for me - one bean for you, three beans for me -one bean for you, four beans for me, etc...)
Bob Lutz, President of Chrysler Corp. etc... is the author of ''Car Guys' vs. Bean Counters: The Battle for the Soul of American Business'. He was a car guy who saw the results when the bean counters hold sway:
"But then GM's leadership began to put their faith in analysis, determined to eliminate the "waste" and "personality worship" of the bygone creative leaders. Management got too smart for its own good. With the bean counters firmly in charge, carmakers (and much of American industry) lost their single-minded focus on product excellence. Decline followed."
"A common theme in the book - and as eluded to in the title - is the role of the over-analytical wave of thinking (primarily driven by MBA's) which was a contributing factor to the demise of GM. Bob also covers the other factors, that led to the eventual Chapter-11 filing, including rising fuel prices, staggering health insurance costs etc."
At least the auto industry had some choice. But my recollection was the cars seemed the same (while breaking down). Management would be on one board then on the board of a different auto company - until companies like Toyota came in and blew their doors off!
So what would one area of medicine look like if the "accounting interns" (aka MBAs) came in and gathered up all the dialysis clinics? Dialysis clinics by themselves are small monopolies, like utilities, and many times are the only option in a geographical area. Factor into that a kidney dialysis patient only really has two choices: get dialysis or die!!! Sounds like an monopolistic accounting intern's dream! Customer service, who needs that crap! Take all those little monopolies and make one big monopoly! I'll reiterate, what would this look like? Here is a picture. Someone needs to write a 'Medical Guys vs. Bean Counters' book (maybe someone has, but we will see).
Update: Someone did write a 'Medical Guys vs. Bean Counters' book! Thank you NYT's best-selling author Tom Mueller for 'How To Make a Killing'!
Petition (and see our visit to DC and DC Press Conference + Rally)
- Details
- Written by: Super User
- Category: Blog
- Hits: 988
Intro
A Quick Minute Look
HQ-Save-the-Billionaires-or-not-Walk-updates
Petition (and see our visit to DC and DC Press Conference + Rally)
!!!P.S. The following History and recent Children's stats linked to, need to be emphasized!!! Update: And it gets worse: KIDS!!!!
--------------------------------------------------------
Jim Cramer, the stock guru, is famous for having had to sleep in his car at one point in his life. He knows a little of what it is like to come up the hard way. After having listened to his show for years (I do have one bad habit -stock investing - keeps me away from the racetrack) he is someone who has impressed me as a person who is sympathetic to the underdog. So I wrote the following redacted email to him! Why not! Sometimes long shots do come in:
----------------
<redacted intro>
