FINANCIAL AND INSURANCE ISSUES FOR LIVE ORGAN DONORS

1. WHO PAYS FOR LIVING DONATION?

Most recipients have private insurance or Medicare. These entities will cover the cost of the:

1. evaluation and medical workup for the procedure
2. donation surgery
3. post-operative care

Expenses not covered by either the donor’s or the recipient’s insurance generally include:

1. lost wages during recovery. However, donors might be apply for sick leave, FMLA or state disability
2. travel expenses
3. treatment for unrelated conditions discovered during workup
4. some follow-up expenses, check with the transplant center

2. WILL HEALTH OR LIFE INSURANCE COVERAGE BE AFFECTED BY DONATION?

Under the ACA, it is illegal to charge donors more or refuse coverage for a pre-existing condition.

However, difficulty getting life insurance or facing higher premiums have been reported. This may be avoided by having the transplant center inform the insurance carrier that data does not show increased risk of death in donors.
Living Organ Donor Network offers life, disability and medical insurance for complications arising from donation.    

                      

3. IS ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FOR LOST WAGES, TRAVEL AND LODGING?

Donors are responsible for time lost from work. Some employers may allow the donor to use short-term disability or provide paid leave.  

Some donors use a combination of vacation time, sick leave and/or short term disability during their recovery phase.

The National Living Donor Assistance Program provides financial assistance to those who would like to donate but are unable to afford the travel and living expenses associated with donation.

Grants from the American Transplant Foundation and other non-governmental organizations can help with expenses such as mortgage payments/rent, utilities, car payment or insurance.

4. ARE THERE ANY LAWS RELATED TO TAKING TIME OFF TO DONATE A KIDNEY?

Federal Government

30 days paid leave for organ donation and 7 days for bone marrow donation, which is over and above the sick and annual leave.

State Government

Most states have now started modeling the same rules as applied by the federal government.

Private sector employees

Eight states which include AR, CT, IL, LA, ME, MN, NE and OR allow a leave of absence for private sector employees, which may only apply to bone marrow, but not organ donation.