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NBA All-Star Alonzo Mourning Joins Kidney Community in Urging Congress to Support Health Care Reform
 NBA All-Star Alonzo Mourning joined DaVita CEO Kent Thiry and other representatives from Kidney Care Partners, a coalition of patient advocates and dialysis professionals, providers and manufacturers working to improve kidney patients' care, for activities on Capitol Hill this month to urge members of Congress to support health care reforms that improve patient access to quality kidney care. Activities included a breakfast with members of the Congressional Black Caucus, one-on-one meetings with members of Congress, a Congressional Briefing sponsored by KCP for Hill staff to outline policy objectives of the kidney community, and a visit to a local Washington, DC DaVita dialysis facility.
Following the meeting with Alonzo and KCP representatives, the Congressional Black Caucus sent a letter (attached) to Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) reaffirming their support for comprehensive healthcare reform and naming improved access to quality kidney care for millions of Americans with end stage renal disease (ESRD) as a top priority. The letter specifically named an extension of Medicare’s Medicare Secondary Payer provisions as a solution for improving patient access to needed kidney care.
At the Hill Briefing, Mourning shared his personal experiences with kidney disease and was joined by Thiry, National Kidney Foundation CEO John Davis, American Kidney Fund CEO LaVarne Burton and kidney patients. Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) addressed the audience and applauded Alonzo for his hard work on behalf of the kidney care community. More than 75 Congressional staff, kidney community representatives and media attended the briefing.
Mourning then joined DaVita patients and staff at the DaVita Eighth Street Dialysis Facility not far from the U.S. Capitol for a tour and press briefing which included representatives from the DC Department of Health and the National Kidney Foundation’s Greater Capital Area as well as patients and staff.
Event Photos
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