From KT – Sept. 8, 2016

Yo DaVita !!
It is 10:30 pm, I am in Washington DC. We had a great 24 hours!

When I landed yesterday I started with a meeting with Senator Bennet, discussing some of our kidney care policy issues. We have a lot of earned credibility with his office. Then I had a long dinner with Senator Gardner, discussing the same things. After that it was off to check into the hotel, do some PT, some email and go to bed.

This morning, Thursday, I set alarm for 6:15, or 4:15 my body time from Colorado. I started with the gym, I was so bummed when the two lifecycles were taken! But after 7 minutes on a treadmill one of the bikes opened up, and I did 19 minutes of solid cardio. Then I did some PT, and raced back to my room to shower and take off.

That is when THE GREAT DAY BEGAN. The House Ways and Means Committee passed our Integrated Care Bill !!!! This is like a dream, it passed overwhelmingly, this is the result of the great clinical outcomes you have generated, the emails you have sent, and our policy prescription thoughtfulness !! Now the bill goes to the full House floor, it is quite amazing that a narrow segment like our dialysis operation is getting this kind of legislative attention!

I had a great meeting with Todd Young, Congressman from Indiana, who is one of our leaders. Then with Senator Cassidy of Louisiana, a doctor who asked great questions. Then Senator Wyden of Oregon, who is passionate about improving chronic care. Then a lunch with John Lewis, American civil rights hero. Then Diane Black, congresswoman from Tennessee, who signed onto our bill today. Then Congressman Upton, who helped pass our bill thru the committee. Then Chairman Brady from Texas who was key to the bill advancing. Then dinner with Congressman Kramer, to talk about charitable premium assistance. Then a post-dinner meeting for 90 minutes with a member of our Board of Directors. I know I am forgetting a couple meetings, but you get the idea.

I did get some therapy in during the day! I had to lay down on the floor in one Congressional office, and one dining room, which drew a lot of stares, but I got it in.

Time for me to move to bed. I hope you all had great MTM days. This was a GREAT day for our village. The one opponent of our beautiful integrated care legislation, as he was trying to find anything substantive to say, exclaimed that “this is nothing but a DaVita bill!”. While that is not true, this is for a better kidney care community, it does reflect the fact that you are the unambiguous leaders of this reform effort.

Oh, btw, I did about 16 sets today, about 14 yesterday. I will get back to you with the details.

All the best !! KT