Sacramento-For many who suffer from kidney disease, the good news is people are living longer with the end stage form of this illness. Many who live with kidney disease depend on dialysis to stay alive. Recently, the Los Angeles Daily News reported, “More than 139,000 kidney patients sought treatment at dialysis clinics around the state last year.” This represented an approximate 46 percent increase from eight years ago.
Despite the need for greater focus on dialysis clinics, a measure to place stricter focus on for-profit dialysis centers was tabled by the legislature this year. Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) who sponsored the legislation, said he introduced the bill in response to the shocking stories he heard from patients and workers about the lack of protections and oversight in the industry. According to Lara, dialysis is a billion-dollar industry, “yet we treat it like a wild west with bare minimum standards.” Lara has committed to continue efforts to advance the legislation next year.