Fresenius, DaVita Defeat California in Anti-Steering Lawsuit

Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Inc. and DaVita Inc., the nation’s largest kidney dialysis providers, notched a partial win in a lawsuit alleging that California’s anti-steering law violates their First Amendment rights.

California didn’t show that the law—which prohibits providers and third parties from steering, directing, or advising dialysis patients regarding health insurance options that will pay for their treatment—narrowly advances the state’s interest in shielding patients from being steered into health insurance coverage that doesn’t meet their needs, Judge David O. Carter, of the US District Court for the Central District of California, said Tuesday.

The state hadn’t identified ...