Associated Press: Dialysis companies spend $111 million to kill ballot measure

Associated Press: Dialysis companies spend $111 million to kill ballot measure

When corporate profits are at stake, campaign spending often balloons, said Kati Phillips of California Common Cause, which advocates campaign finance reform. "Health care measures are expensive," she said. "There's a lot of money to be made off of sick people."

Dialysis companies have contributed an extraordinary $111 million and counting to defeat a California ballot initiative that would cap their profits, the most any one side has spent on a U.S. ballot issue since at least 2002.

A $5 million donation from this week from dialysis provider Fresenius Medical Care pushed the anti-Proposition 8 campaign’s total past the $109 million pharmaceutical companies spent two years ago to defeat a measure limiting prescription drug costs. More than $70 million has been spent on television and radio ads as well as consulting services in the last two months.

When corporate profits are at stake, campaign spending often balloons, said Kati Phillips of California Common Cause, which advocates campaign finance reform.

“Health care measures are expensive,” she said. “There’s a lot of money to be made off of sick people.”

Dialysis companies make roughly $3 billion in annual profits from their California operations, according to nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office.