California voters to decide fate of dialysis company profits

Millions of voters across the United States are making decisions today on political candidates, municipal bond proposals, and, in some states, whether marijuana should be legalized. In California, voters will determine if state regulators should control how much profit dialysis providers operating in that state should make.

A health care workers union, Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, spent $18 million supporting Proposition 8, while dialysis providers, led by Fresenius Medical Care and DaVita Inc., have spent more than $100 million to kill the measure. The union, which had pushed for a similar ballot measure in Ohio but was turned back over a technicality in its application process, says Proposition 8 will force dialysis companies in California to invest more of their profits into patient care. The measure would cap dialysis provider profits at 115% of patient care costs.

Newspaper editorial writers and health care organizations have jumped in with endorsements or opposing views. Nephrology News & Issues published a debate on the issue from supporters and opponents of the ballot initiative to present their case on whether dialysis provider profits should be restricted.

– by Mark E. Neumann