Kidney Dialysis Centers
Industry Profile Report
Dive Deep into the industry with a 25+ page industry report (pdf format) including the following chapters
Industry Overview Current Conditions, Industry Structure, How Firms Operate, Industry Trends, Credit Underwriting & Risks, and Industry Forecast.
Call Preparation Call Prep Questions, Industry Terms, and Weblinks.
Financial Insights Working Capital, Capital Financing, Business Valuation, and Financial Benchmarks.
Industry Profile Excerpts
Industry Overview
The 8,300 kidney dialysis centers in the US provide dialysis treatment for patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD), also known as chronic kidney failure. Patients with ESRD require dialysis treatments or a kidney transplant to sustain life. Dialysis is the removal of toxins, fluids, and salt from the blood of patients by artificial means.
Competing with Large Companies
The US kidney dialysis center industry is dominated by two large players – Fresenius Medical and DaVita – which together have 72% of the market.
Dependence on Government Reimbursements
Kidney dialysis centers earn the majority of their revenue through reimbursements from Medicare and Medicaid, since all ESRD patients are covered by Medicare, regardless of their age or financial circumstances.
Industry size & Structure
A typical kidney dialysis center has 16-17 employees and generates about $3-4 million in revenue.
- The kidney dialysis center industry in the US consists of 450 firms operating about 8,300 centers, employing 130,600 workers, and generating $28 billion in annual revenue.
- The industry is highly concentrated, as the two largest firms – Fresenius Medical and DaVita – treat about 80% of kidney dialysis patients in the US and account for 72% of outpatient dialysis centers.
- Other large kidney dialysis firms include US Renal Care, Dialysis Clinic, Inc., American Renal Associates, and Satellite Healthcare.
- There are about 558,000 patients receiving dialysis treatment in the US.
- 87% of US dialysis patients receive hemodialysis treatment, usually at a kidney dialysis center. Just over 1% receive hemodialysis at home. About 13% of dialysis patients receive peritoneal dialysis, usually at home.
Industry Forecast
Kidney Dialysis Centers Industry Growth
Recent Developments
Nov 15, 2023 - Moderate Sales Growth Expected
- Kidney dialysis industry sales are forecast to increase at a 6.46% compounded annual rate from 2022 to 2027, faster than the growth of the overall economy. Industry labor costs decreased during the first eight months of 2023 as employment levels and average wages for nonsupervisory employees decreased slightly.
- A medical trial showed that pharmaceutical manufacturer Novo Nordisk's drug Semaglutide, which goes by the names Ozempic and Rybelsus for treating Type 2 diabetes, and Wegovy for treating obesity, can reduce the risk of kidney failure. Kidney International estimates that as much as a third of all kidney disease cases in the US are associated with obesity. The rapid uptake of semaglutide-based drugs may significantly reduce the number of overweight people, reducing in turn the need for kidney dialysis. The trial results come as another class of diabetes meds, SGLT2 inhibitors including AstraZeneca’s Farxiga and Eli Lilly and Boheringer Ingelheim's Jardiance, are making inroads in chronic kidney disease.
- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released a proposed payment increase for dialysis providers for 2024. The draft regulation proposes to increase the end-stage renal disease Prospective Payment System base rate for dialysis services provided to Medicare patients by 1.7%, or $4.42, to $269.99. The proposal estimates that total payments would increase 2.6% for hospital-based end-stage renal disease facilities and 1.6% for freestanding facilities. The proposal would also update the 2024 acute kidney injury dialysis payment rate for end-stage renal disease facilities to $269.99.
- Administrators of independent dialysis clinics said in a letter to Congressional leaders that intervention is needed to avoid staffing cuts because of inadequate Medicare payments. The letter cites a recent study by Prima Health Analytics which found that dialysis facilities have accumulated $1.7 billion in losses over the last 3 years. On average, facilities lost 42% of operating expenses in excess of revenues, totaling $320,000 per facility per year. “A mere 3% increase to the base rate for [calendar year] 2023 is woefully inadequate in this time of economic and staffing instability. With absent action from Congress, access to care and the quality of care for individuals relying on Medicare for their dialysis services will be jeopardized,” the letter said.
Get A Demo
Vertical IQ’s Industry Intelligence Platform
See for yourself why over 60,000 users trust Vertical IQ for their industry research and call preparation needs. Our easy-to-digest industry insights save call preparation time and help differentiate you from the competition.
Build valuable, lasting relationships by having smarter conversations -
check out Vertical IQ today.