8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): May 17, 2004

DAVITA INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	1-4034	No. 51-0354549
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

601 Hawaii Street

El Segundo, California 90245

(Address of principal executive offices including Zip Code)

(310) 536-2400

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN THE REPORT

Item 5. Other Events and Regulation FD Disclosure.

Attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 is a press release issued on May 17, 2004 announcing a three-for-two stock split of the Company’s common stock.

Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(c) Exhibits.

Exhibit Number
99.1	Press Release of DaVita Inc, dated May 17, 2004.

Note: The information contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K (including Exhibit 99.1) shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	DAVITA INC.
Date: May 17, 2004	/s/ PATRICK A. BRODERICK
	Patrick A. Broderick
	Vice President, Secretary
	and General Counsel

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number	Description
99.1	Press Release, dated May 17, 2004.

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

Contact:	LeAnne Zumwalt
	Investor Relations
	DaVita Inc.
	310 536-2420

DAVITA INC. DECLARES THREE FOR TWO STOCK SPLIT

El Segundo, California, May 17, 2004 — DaVita Inc. (NYSE: DVA) announced today that its board of directors has declared a three-for-two split of its common stock in the form of a stock dividend. Stockholders of record on June 1, 2004 will receive one-half of one (½) share of the Company’s common stock for every share of common stock owned on the record date. The dividend shares will be distributed on June 15, 2004 and the Company’s common stock will trade on a post-split basis on June 16, 2004, the next trading day following the distribution date. Dividend shares will be aggregated and any fractional shares remaining will be paid in cash.

The board of directors made its decision to effect a stock split in the form of a dividend in order to increase the number of shares available for trading, which the board believes will lead to an increase in, and a broadening of, the ownership of the Company’s common stock. As of May 10, 2004, DVA had 66.4 million shares of common stock outstanding which will increase to approximately 99.6 million shares after the stock split has been effected.

DaVita is a leading provider of dialysis services for patients suffering from chronic kidney failure. The Company operates and provides administrative services to kidney dialysis centers and home peritoneal dialysis programs domestically in 34 states, as well as Washington, D.C. As of March 31, 2003, DaVita operates or provides administrative services to 571 outpatient facilities serving 48,400 patients.