By Bill Peckham
Today RenalWEB linked to an interesting story out of China. A hemodialysis co-op was being used by 10 people to manage their stage 5 Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD5). A couple dialyzors bought a machine, which they shared, and where no doubt able to provide themselves dialysis for less than $30US a treatment (excluding the initial expense of buying a machine and water treatment system). This compares to the cost of a dialysis treatment in neighboring Chinese Taipei where dialysis is reckoned to cost about $127US per treatment.
The article indicates that the police are unsure how to proceed:
"They were ordered to stop their treatments. Considering the fact that a direct ban could threaten their lives, the enforcement is a little different for these patients, but the place will still be shut down in a few days."
The health authorities have asked the ten patients to contact their own local governments and return home to find a solution to their problems.
At 5 pm, officials from the district Health Department and Public Security Bureau visited them again. They said they would continue to talk with the patients to find a solution.
The patients refused to return home.
I hope the Chinese authorities decide to allow the experiment to continue. Absent an entitlement for dialysis or a wide availability of healthcare people with (CKD5) should be allowed to find their own way to pay for their treatment. In this situation it is hard to see the State's interest in preventing true dialysis co-ops.
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