Were you asked to join Dialysis Patient Citizens?

[RealityCheck]

It's a DaVita-driven PAC (political action committee) that they try to spread to patients of all the dialysis providers.  The idea is to organize dialysis patients to influence congress to fund dialysis.  They have a teammate go around and offer the form as often as they can (staff become overwhelmed and resist these initiatives).   They promise to mobilize members whenever they should call their representatives.

If you watch, you see they only mobilize the PAC when it benefits the corporations, not patients.

Case in point:  during the debate on healthcare reform, there were many opportunities to mobilize patients to support changes in legislation to abolish the pre-existing condition clause in private insurance that makes dialysis patients uninsurable.

The PAC was silent through healthcare reform because DaVita was fighting it tooth and nail, buying up congress people everywhere they could--even Keith Oberman had a rant with "DaVita" at the crescendo.  This was a time when dialysis patients stood to gain or lose enormous things.  But DaVita believed reform of any kind was worse than the status quo.  They were right.

They do similar things to employees, pressuring them to take part in Kat Walks to raise money for the Kidney Trust which is a PAC for DaVita.  They said some of it was to help patients who couldn't pay their insurance, but that turned out to be only for Hippers.  This sounds like a wild lie, but I worked there and I saw the applications and exclusions.

[BillSharp]

Thanks for the info. I'd like to see more IHD members chime in on this.

[Bill Peckham]

Dialysis Patients Citizens isn't a PAC, DaVita has a PAC too of course (I've been the token dialyzor at some of these PAC functions), but DPC is something a bit different: I think the proper disparaging term is an AstroTurf organization, however, I'm not sure that is entirely fair ... it's at least a little bit fair.

You can see the positions DPC has re: kidney care. There isn't anything too unusual. The "patient access to care" issue is one that I think is the most squishy, not that you'd know by reading the position statement but in general these efforts are going on at the state level in the guise of Patient Rights legislation. The legislation's effect would be to advantage DaVita in their negotiating battles with small private payers. I am not aware of the other patient organizations focusing on this advocacy - I think it is fair to say that this position shows DPC acting as a stalking horse on DaVita's behalf.

[PatDowns]

Under tax law, Bill is correct.  If DPC was a PAC, it would not enjoy the federal tax exemption status that it does.  It is set up as a 501 (c)(4) non-profit organization.  However, by doing this as opposed to being a 501(c)(3) - like the American Kidney Fund and National Kidney Foundation - DPC CAN do an unlimited amount of lobbying and engage in political campaign activity. Interestingly, 501(c)(4)s are not required to disclose their donors publicly.  So looking at the organization in this way, RealtyCheck, pretty much has it right.

[Bill Peckham]

Here's a link to their 990s


http://www2.guidestar.org/organizations/20-1031554/dialysis-patient-citizens.aspx#


They indicate they are required to file a Schedule B, Schedule of Contributors (see answer to question top of page 3 of 2009 990 PDF Link) but I'm not seeing Schedule B anywhere. I think it would show most of the money coming from DaVita with smaller amounts coming from some of their suppliers. Interested to note they show over $50K in fund raising expenses - wonder who gets that?

[RealityCheck]

Thanks!  I didn't know they weren't technically PACs.

One year when we were getting emails and posters and sign up boards to encourage us to sign up for the Kat Walk, I emailed one of the Kidney Trust people and asked if they disclose their budget.  She said she would send it to me.  She never did.

[PatDowns]

I have so many questions for the patients who serve on DPC's board of directors.  Interesting that on the DPC's web site board members give a nice summary of who they are, but fail to add in contact email addresses.

[Bill Peckham]

I have so many questions for the patients who serve on DPC's board of directors.  Interesting that on the DPC's web site board members give a nice summary of who they are, but fail to add in contact email addresses.

Here's the BOD chair telling her story http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUFih6cCnKM&

[RealityCheck]

Watching that video shows me how they use people's sincerity.

[Bill Peckham]

Interesting that in a DaVita certificate of need application out here in WA they write:
DaVita offers access to a national non-profit kidney disease advocacy program: Dialysis Patient Citizens Council


One, it's odd that they tacked on the word "Council" - Google says there is no such thing as "Dialysis Patient Citizens Council" - but assuming they meant DPC does this mean that patients at other providers have less access to DPC?