Program aims to encourage more donors

[girlfriend]

Province announces $300,000 program to cover out-of-pocket expenses borne by live organ donors.

By The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER- People who donate a kidney or part of their liver for transplant will have some of their costs reimbursed under a unique new program aimed at encouraging more people to become living donors.

The $300,000, three-year program will compensate living donors for the costs of travel, recovery time and accommodation, and it's believed to be the first of its kind in North America.

"There are people who are waiting for a kidney or liver transplant who may not get it because there are people that are willing to be donors and can't afford the costs associated with being a donor", said Ken Merkely, vice president of the B.C. branch of The Kidney Foundation and himself a kidney transplant recipient.

"This program is going to meet that need."
He said about 12% of would-be kidney or liver donors per year back out due to costs.

"That has a big, big bearing on this program." he said.

The program will be jointly managed by the Provincial Health Services Authority and the B.C. Transplant Society.

Health authority CEO Lynda Cranston said reducing the cost burden for donors will lead to shorter wait times for organ recipients, meaning lower death rates among those needing transplants.

The program initially covers kidney and liver transplants,but could be extended to others in the future.

Crason says half of the $300,000 cost will come from the health authority while the balance comes from private sources.

The province expects it will recover its portion of the costs within five years by liberating patients from frequent kidney dialysis treatments.

"Dialysis treatments are very expensive." Merkely said. "People who can get off dialysis mean less money that the state is required to pay in terms of providing those patients actual treatments."

The first living donor kidney transplant in B.C. was performed in 1976. Since then, 862 such procedures have been performed.

The first living donor liver transplant was done in 2001, and 13 have been done since.

Currently, about 300 British Columbians are awaiting a kidney transplant.

Merkely wants the reimbursement program to catch on across the country.

"B.C. is being looked at as a pilot over the three years that we're receiving funding." he said.

"I have full confident that it will eventually become a national program."

Toni Da Cunha Amaral said the program could allow his sister to travel from Portugal to donate a kidney to him.  She is currently being assessed as a living donor.

"This is a very important moment of my life, maybe the most important." said Da Cunha Amaral, who has been on dialysis for five months.

"I'm extremely happy. It's going to save me," he said.
He said his sister's travel costs alone will be more than $1,400.

Bill Barrable, executive director of the B.C. Transplant Society, said donors will be reimbursed only for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.
?If someone's making a million dollars a year ___if they're an entertainer or hockey player--- they're not going to have their salary reimbursed." he said.

[angieskidney]

incase anyone was interested in the actual link to the article this is it: http://www.cbc.ca/cp/health/060719/x071916.html

[Zach]

Sounds like a good idea.

Much better than stauffenberg's solutions!!     

[livecam]

Great idea and when compared to what the government has to pay for just one year of dialysis it is a bargain.  Prospective donors worry about those little details like time off work, travel expenses, recovery, after care etc.  There would be alot more living donations if answers to those questions were assured by the government. Since this is a Canadian program where is the U.S. government in this progressive response to living donor needs?  Oh I forgot, George Bush is keeping us safe with his War on Terror and doesn't have time to worry about little things like transplants...silly me.

[Rerun]

Great idea and when compared to what the government has to pay for just one year of dialysis it is a bargain.  Prospective donors worry about those little details like time off work, travel expenses, recovery, after care etc.  There would be alot more living donations if answers to those questions were assured by the government. Since this is a Canadian program where is the U.S. government in this progressive response to living donor needs?  Oh I forgot, George Bush is keeping us safe with his War on Terror and doesn't have time to worry about little things like transplants...silly me.

Well you could wait on a transplant list "alive" or be dead by a bomb.  You choose!   

[livecam]

I would worry more about being bombed by all the NEW enemies he has made in countries that posed no threat to us.  How do you think the thousands of kids growing up in Iraq and Afghanistan whose homes and families were destroyed by U.S. aggression are going to feel when they are adults?  What about the sons and brothers of American detainees who where tortured and killed by barbaric Americans in Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay, and various secret prisons located throughout the world?  And what a winner Mr. President is...after a 3 1/2 year orgy of killing and destruction throughout the middle east the real badguy, Mr. Bin Laden still laughs and thumbs his nose at us.

[Rerun]

Ask the adult Japanese today. They were bombed.  Same mentality as the Japs had in WWII.  They want to KILL all Americans and it is an honor to die doing it.  We are in WAR.  Things break and people die in war.  The difference is Japan had borders.  The Taliban has infiltrated every country.  Ask the servicemen over there if they think we should quit.  I know of one young man and he is glad we are over there fighting and not here. 

When you stand up for yourself as America did, opposition will be there.  But, you have to do what is best.  President Bush didn't ask for this war.  I don't remember in his 2000 campaign speeches that he said what he would do if America were bombed.  AND if Clinton had done his job and had a backbone and nipped things in the bud President Bush wouldn't have to be making these life and death decisions. 

I hope you damn democrats get in next time.  In fact I think I'll vote for whom ever.... Hillary.  We'll see what you guys do.  "Give Osma a 'time out.' ??

I am so tired of people feeling sorry for the "prisoners" of Getmo.  They behead people and we put water on their head and you would have thought we had poured acid in their eyes or something.  Give me a break.  I think we should let them go into the custody of a liberal   Let them take one home and keep watch on them.

Sorry - Off Topic - End of Discussion

[livecam]

Holy Fudgemonkey's, damn democrats?  President Bush didn't ask for this war?  Lets see Rerun, I'm a registered Republican and always have been.  President Bush did ask for this war.  I remember some guys bombing us and President Bush responding by unleashing hell on a couple of countries that had nothing to do with it. Anyway this is way off topic and I'm ending my contribution to it now.  I'll be voting primarily for Democrats not because I like them but because right now they are the lesser of two evils.

[angieskidney]

Sounds like a good idea.

Much better than stauffenberg's solutions!!     

Has stauffenberg seen this thread yet?