Go to the ARxC Donate page to make a contribution today.
For further details please see the following documents:
September 9, 2011 ARxC Press Release: ARxC Patients are Reassured and Thankful
September 9, 2011: Fresenius Medical Care, Advocates for Responsible Care, and Grady Health System Joint Statement
September 10, 2011 New York Times Article by Kevin Sack: Deal Reached on Dialysis for Immigrants
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Since 2009 ARxC has been fighting to find long-term and regular dialysis treatment for 30 uninsured and undocumented End-Stage-Renal Disease (ESRD) patients of Grady Memorial Hospital.
The patients were at risk of losing their dialysis care in September of 2009 when Grady closed their outpatient dialysis clinic. As a result of ARxC's continuous advocacy and legal efforts, Grady elected to provide the patients with care until September 1, 2010. During the months leading up to this deadline, ARxC worked in collaboration with DeKalb Commissioner Larry Johnson and ARxC supporters, to get private dialysis providers to take the patients 'in kind.' Eventually 13 patients were provided a lifetime of dialysis 'in kind' by Fresenius (5 patients), DaVita (5 patients), and Emory Dialysis (3 patients). Grady Hospital made a contract with Fresenius to pay for the 22 remaining uninsured and undocumented ESRD patients to receive dialysis through Fresenius clinics.
On August 31, 2011 Grady Hospital's contract with Fresenius expired. Claiming their financial difficulties made it no longer feasible for them to provide ongoing care, Grady refused new offers by Fresenius and, eventually, refused to negotiate a new contract with Fresenius.
Fresenius sent notices to the patients on August 25, 2011, claiming that after August 31, 2011 they were required to go to Grady Hospital to receive their dialysis treatments. After receiving confirmation from Grady Health System that the patients would only receive dialysis through the Grady Emergency Room when their condition was critical, the patients had no other option but to return to their Fresenius clinics for their scheduled treatment. Tragically the patients were turned away by Fresenius staff on September 1, 2011. Their regular dialysis treatments had officially ended.
The following days the patients were forced to wait for their health to deteriorate until their condition was critical enough for them to receive emergency dialysis treatment through the Emergency Room. Despite the fact that the patients were feeling poorly and showing symptoms, GHS staff repeatedly denied treatment and directed the patients to return to the ER only if their symptoms worsened. Over the week some patients were turned away from Grady while others were admitted as a result of life-threatening complications that developed due to lack of dialysis.
During the week that the patients were forced to seek care through the Emergency Room, ARxC patient, Reina Andrande, became unconscious. She was admitted at Gwinnett Medical Center and provided the care she needed. While hospitalized she was told she would survive less than a year on emergency dialysis. Although she was aware of ARxC's efforts to secure her and the other patients with continuous dialysis, Reina felt she had no other option but to return to her home country of Honduras to be with family.
On September 7, 2011, hours after Reina and her son flew out to Honduras, Allison & Partners held a meeting for ARxC and Fresenius staff and attorneys to meet and develop a plan of action to secure treatment for the patients. That evening a deal was agreed upon between Fresenius and Grady Health System. At 5:40PM the following day, September 8, 2011, the new contract was signed.
The new contract provides scheduled, uninterrupted dialysis for 21 ARxC patients. This agreement will remain in force for three years (with the option of extending) or until private dialysis providers, Metro Atlanta hospitals, dialysis suppliers, community and civic leaders, elected officials and other interested parties can meet to address a permanent solution of continuous dialysis treatment.
While the patients are now provided the care they need to live their lives, ARxC continues efforts to coordinate meetings with community stakeholders to derive a permanent resolution. We also maintain communication with Reina's family and provide whatever assistance we can to help Reina find the care she needs in Honduras.
- September 8, 2011 Press Release: ARxC Patients are Reassured and Thankful
- September 4, 2011 Press Release: ARxC Patients Denied Emergency Dialysis Treatment from Grady Hospital
- September 1, 2011 Press Release: ARxC Grady Dialysis Patients Turned Away from Fresenius
- August 31, 2011 Press Release: ARxC Grady Dialysis Patients Left Without Dialysis Treatment
- September 14, 2010 Press Release
- August 31, 2010 Press Release
- August 27, 2010 Press Release
- August 24, 2010 Press Release
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ARxC needs your help to advance our effort to ensure all End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients are provided sufficient dialysis treatment. Please consider getting involved in the fight to find sustainable dialysis care for all through one or more of the following ways:- Donate - As a 501(c)3 we rely entirely upon financial donations to sustain our efforts. We need your financial support to ensure the patients continue to receive their life-sustaining dialysis treatments. Please consider making a donation to our organization by going to our Donate page.
- Advocate - Advocate with ARxC for responsible immigration reform to ensure ALL people in the United States have access to quality health care. Take a stand at Reform Immigration for America.
- Share the stories - Spread the word about the dialysis crisis by subscribing to our Facebook page at Advocates for Responsible Care or on twitter @ARxCAdvocates. Share your own thoughts and concerns regarding the dialysis crisis and encourage your colleagues, friends, and family to do the same. You can also send your comments directly to ARxC through our Contact Us page. To learn about some of the perspectives in our community go to our Public Comment page.
- Volunteer - Help ARxC organize events and fundraisers. Assistance with grant writing, translating services, public relations, and media-related services is also great needed. Please submit your contact information through the Contact Us page or call our office at 404-633-5843 if you wish to serve as an ARxC volunteer.
We are currently working to raise awareness about the issue. Please check back with us at Dialysis Crisis (or, en español, Diálisis Crisis) for the latest developments and information. Please see the articles and media releases below for further information.
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Learn the Patients' Stories - Click on the following links
Baani's Story
Patricia's Story
Mrs. Abner's Story (This video interview is from August 2010. Today Mrs. Abner's regular dialysis treatments are covered by Medicare.
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Who's Playing God? - Analysis of the Grady Dialysis Crisis
By Suma Ikeuchi
Suma is a doctoral student in the Department of Anthropology at Emory University and a volunteer with the Advocates for Responsible Care. Given the severity of the Grady Dialysis Crisis, Suma chose to analyze the Grady Dialysis Crisis from an anthropological perspective to depict the historical, ethical, political, and sociological forces that continues to threaten the lives of 31 dialysis patients. Through interviews and an indepth review of the literature relating to the Grady Dialysis Suma's paper accurately depicts the struggle endured by the Grady dialysis patients.
To view her paper click here.
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ARxC Mourns the Death of Beloved Member and Former Grady Dialysis Patient
By Lindsay Jones, ARxC Legal Consultant, Ex Officio
In September of 2009, Rosa Lira, a 78 year old woman suffering from End Stage Renal Disease, met with me at my church with friends, family, other patients, and health care advocates, to tell me about the plight of nearly 70 patients at the Grady Hospital Dialysis Clinic, who had been informed that their life sustaining dialysis treatments would be terminated in two weeks. Rosa, as well as the other patients, would die within two weeks without receiving dialysis treatment. The hospital decided to terminate the patients' care because of changes in Georgia's Medicaid laws, which limited reimbursements to hospitals on dialysis treatment provided to non U.S. citizens. The hospital made this decision, despite knowing that the abandoned patients would die within two weeks. Rosa was a legally documented Mexican immigrant who held a green card and was a resident of Georgia for the last 4 years. She had been receiving dialysis at Grady under Medicaid for several years. Under the new Georgia law, green card holders had to be residents of Georgia for 5 years before they could received Medicare coverage. Rosa's children and grand children are US Citizens. Rosa was one of the patients who publicly stood up for the class of affected patients to fight for the right to live. I had the honor and privilege of serving as her lawyer in the litigation to prevent the hospital from terminating her life against her wishes. Through the efforts of many, specifically ARxC (a patients healthcare advocacy group), we were able to secure continued dialysis treatment for Rosa and the other patients. She died today after being sent home from a hospital after complaining of complications of her End Stage Renal Disease.
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ARxC President is Recognized as One of the Prominent People of 2010 by Mundo Hispanico
You can read the Mundo Hispanico article by clicking the following link: Tireless Fighter: Highlights of 2010.
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Please donate to help Patricia's fight to stay alive!
ARxC is collecting funds to sustain dialysis treatment for Patricia, a former Grady end-stage-renal disease patient who elected to return to her home country to seek continuous care. Patricia needs our financial support to pay for her vital treatments. If she does not receive her dialysis treatments she will die in two (2) to three (3) weeks. Click here to read Patricia's story.
Help us to keep Patricia alive and to renew our faith in the care of each other by going to our Donate webpage and making a contribution by clicking the button at the bottom of the page that is specified for donations to Patricia.
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Fox 5 News Coverage
September 3, 2011: Patients are in "critical" condition and are forced to seek their treatment from the Grady Emergency Room
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ARxC Coverage
September 24, 2010: ARxC Director, Haley Stolp, speak as one of the three Emerging Health Leaders recognized at the National Summit of Clinicians for Healthcare Justice for her work with the Grady Dialysis Crisis.
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CBS Channel 2 News Coverage
August 26, 2010: Dialysis patients are at risk of losing their life-sustaining treatment
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WRFG 89.3FM Coverage
August 23, 2010: ARxC's President Dorothy Leone-Glasser speaking on the Dialysis Crisis
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Neil Shulman Coverage
Posted August 5, 2010: Part 1 of Interview with Mrs. Abner, one of ARxC's Grady dialysis patients.
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For additional information about the dialysis crisis please see the following published articles:
Associated Press
- Agreement likely for ex-Grady dialysis patients
By Kate Brumback
Published August 31, 2010
Dialysis & Transplantation
- The Dilemma of Undocumented Immigrants with ESRD
By Rudolph A. Rodriguez
Published April 2010
The New York Times
By Nina Bernstein
Published December 20, 2011
- Deal Reached on Dialysis for Immigrants
Published September 10, 2010
- Deal Would Provide Dialysis to Illegal Immigrants in Atlanta
By Kevin Sack and Catrin Einhorn
Published September 1, 2010
- THE BREAKING POINT; Reprieve Eases Medical Crisis for Illegal Immigrants
By Kevin Sack
Published January 6, 2010
- THE BREAKING POINT; For Sick Illegal Immigrants, No Relief Back Home
By Kevin Sack
Published January 1, 2010
- Immigrants Lose Lawsuit Against Atlanta Hospital
By Kevin Sack
Published December 16, 2009
- THE BREAKING POINT; Hospital Falters as Refuge for Illegal Immigrants
By Kevin Sack; Yolanne Almanzar contributed reporting from Miami
Published November 21, 2009
- Atlanta Judge Rules Dialysis Unit Can Be Closed
By Kevin Sack
Published September 26, 2009
- Immigrants Cling to Fragile Lifeline at Safety-Net Hospital
By Kevin Sack
Published September 24, 2009
- Ex-Grady dialysis patients in limbo. Contract that covered treatment expires at end of month. Hospital says it can't continue to cover costs. (access article from AJC archives)
By Misty Williams
Published August 13, 2011
- Grady Hospital Feeling New Financial Pains
- Future care for uninsured dialysis patients in question
By Carrie Teegardin
Published September 3, 2010
- Opinion: Shame on Georgia!
By Dorothy Leone-Glasser
Published January 21, 2010
- Grady dialysis patients emotionally exhausted
By Craig Schneider and Shelia M. Poole
Published January 21, 2010
- Do we let Grady dialysis patients die?
By Doyt L. Conn
Published January 11, 2010
- Human rights group looks at Grady dialysis clinic closure
By Shelia M. Poole and Craig Schneider
Published January 8, 2010
- Grady dialysis patients get treatment reprieve -- again
By Shelia M. Poole and Craig Schneider
Published January 4, 2010
- Kill incentive to deny care to the vulnerable
By Paul Zwier, Frank S. Alexander and John Witte Jr.
Published December 29, 2009
- Judge: Grady dialysis lawsuit will be dismissed
By Craig Schneider
Published December 15, 2009
- Fear, frustration mounts for dialysis patients
By Craig Schneider
Published December 1, 2009
- Grady dialysis patients to get care for 3 months
By Shelia M. Poole
Published September 28, 2009
- Grady dialysis center to close on Saturday
By Shelia M. Poole and Craig Schneider
Published September 27, 2009
- No compassion for sick illegal immigrants
By Cynthia Tucker
Published September 22, 2009
- Grady dialysis patients may not get care in other states
By Craig Schneider and Shelia M. Poole
Published September 17, 2009
- Judge's temporary order against Grady halts dialysis clinic's
closing
By Shelia M. Poole
Published September 17, 2009
- Grady offers 6-month reprieve to patients of dialysis clinic
By Craig Schneider
Published September 14, 2009
- Grady says it will pay to fly dialysis patients to their home
country
By Craig Schneider and Shelia M. Poole
Published September 14, 2009
Atlanta Progressive News
- Emergency Arrangements in Works for Grady Dialysis
Patients
By Matthew Cardinale
Published September 1, 2010
- US State Department Reviewing Grady Dialysis Crisis
(Update 1)
By Matthew Cardinale
Published February 18, 2010
- Grady Dialysis Closure Faces Protests
By Jonathan Springston
Published September 14, 2009
Mundo Hispánico - translated by Google translate (para
leerlo en español ir a Diálisis crisis)
- Special: Health Crisis
Website with news, patient info, photos, and video
- Uncertainty Chronicle
By Linda Carolina Pérez
Published September 1, 2010
- Where is the support for the sick?
By Linda Carolina Pérez
Published September 1, 2010
- Praying to survive
By Linda Carolina Pérez
Published August 30, 2010
- Emory is asked to help dialysis patients
By Linda Carolina Pérez
Published August 25, 2010
- They are running out of time
By Linda Carolina Pérez
Published August 24, 2010
- Temprary relief for dialysis patients
By Linda Carolina Pérez
Published August 10, 2010
La Visión - translated by Google translate (para leerlo en
español ir a Diálisis crisis)
- Drop at the time they finish
By Alejandra Milojevic
Published August 27, 2010
- Hispanic renal failure launch a cry of hope
By Alejandra Milojevic
Published August 12, 2010
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Video footage of the Dialysis Crisis:
- Grady Coalition's August 25 Protest
YouTube
By oupipeestudios
August 26, 2010
- Ade Abner Grady Dialysis Patient Speaks Out - Part 1
YouTube
By jamesdouglasbremner
August 5, 2010
- Ade Abner Grady Dialysis Patient Speaks Out - Part 2
YouTube
By jamesdouglasbremner
August 5, 2010
- Ade Abner Grady Dialysis Patient Speaks Out - Part 3
YouTube
By jamesdouglasbremner
August 5, 2010
- Grady Under Fire for Dialysis Plan
Fox 5 News
September 14, 2009
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Before You Take That Pill (blog)
- Please Don't Let My Grandpa Die
By Doug Bremner
Published August 26, 2010
- Petition to Save the Grady Dialysis Patients
By Doug Bremner
Published August 13, 2010
- Ade Abner Grady Dialysis Patient Speaks Out on Closing of
Dialysis Clinic
By Doug Bremner
Published August 5, 2010
- Power of Doctors is Eroding... Grady Death Sentence is
Arriving
By Doug Bremner
Published July 27, 2010
- Civil War in America: Humanizers v. Monetizers
By Doug Bremner and Neil Shulman
Published December 21, 2009
- 'These Are Real People'
By Doug Bremner
Published September 28, 2009
- Do I Have the Right to Live?
By Doug Bremner
Published September 23, 2009
- Grady Hospital Tells Non-citizen Dialysis Patients to Leave
or Die
By Doug Bremner
- Grady CEO's $290,800 bonus stirs criticism
By Craig Schneider
Published July 9, 2010
- Grady critics need lesson in finance
By Bill Sexist
Published February 24, 2010
- Grady dialysis patients band together to face new deadline
on care
By Craig Schneider
Published February 2, 2010
