Possible concise summary:
The message is a transcript of a segment from John Oliver's show Last Week Tonight, where he criticizes the for-profit dialysis industry in the US, especially the company Davita and its eccentric CEO. He exposes how Davita has been accused of overcharging, underperforming, and endangering patients, while discouraging them from getting transplants. He contrasts Davita's practices with Taco Bell, a fast food chain that the CEO compared his business to, and argues that Taco Bell is more ethical and responsible than Davita. He urges viewers to become organ donors and to support better oversight and incentives for dialysis care.
Here are the key facts from the text:
1. Dialysis is a medical treatment that uses a machine to filter waste products from the blood when the kidneys are no longer able to perform this function.
2. Chronic kidney disease is the ninth leading cause of death in the United States.
3. The US government pays for dialysis for anyone who needs it, making it a form of universal healthcare for kidney disease.
4. There are around 7,000 outpatient dialysis clinics in the US, with around 70% owned by two for-profit companies: Fresenius and DaVita.
5. DaVita, a for-profit dialysis company, has been accused of prioritizing profits over patient care and has settled lawsuits with the government related to this issue.
6. DaVita's CEO, Kent Thiry, has been known to make grand entrances at company meetings and has a eccentric management style.
7. DaVita has been accused of finding ways to increase profits, including paying kickbacks to doctors for referrals and overusing certain medications.
8. Patients who undergo dialysis have a high mortality rate, with 25% dying within one year and 65% dying within five years.
9. Kidney transplants can significantly improve survival rates for patients with kidney disease, but many patients are not informed about this option or are discouraged from pursuing it.
10. The US government has been criticized for its oversight of the dialysis industry, with some clinics having inadequate staffing and poor infection control practices.
11. Richard Nixon signed a bill into law in 1972 that provided government funding for dialysis, making it a universal healthcare program for kidney disease.
12. DaVita has been sued multiple times for its business practices, including a lawsuit alleging that the company paid kickbacks to doctors for referrals.
13. Fresenius, another for-profit dialysis company, has also been sued for its business practices, including a lawsuit alleging that its products caused heart problems and deaths in patients.
14. The dialysis industry has been criticized for its prioritization of profits over patient care, with some clinics having inadequate staffing and poor infection control practices.
15. Organ donation can help alleviate the shortage of kidneys available for transplant, and individuals can register to become organ donors when they die.