Reimbursement of Expenses for Living Donation

[okarol]

  Reimbursement of Expenses
 
     HRSA is soliciting public comment on the proposed eligibility criteria for Reimbursement of Travel and Subsistence Expenses toward Living Organ Donations Program. You can view the proposed guidelines at the following link:
                             http://www.asts.org/Advocacy/Other.aspx
               Comments can be emailed directly to Dr. James Burdick: jburdick@hrsa.gov

[Rerun]

I wrote:

Dear Dr. Burdick,

I have read the “Reimbursement of Travel and Subsistence Expenses toward Living Organ Donations Program proposal".  Thank you for at least thinking of the donor.

I don’t think it should be based on a poverty level of income.  That always cuts out the middle income person.  Only the poor and the rich could afford to donate.

It should be a flat rate for expenses based on an average of expenses that are incurred by donors.  Any amount will help and then no discrimination would take place.  A flat $5,000 for each person who donates.  That would cut administrative expenses trying to figure out who qualifies and how much they should receive. That is not paying them for their kidney, which should also be legal in my opinion.  It is just helping them out with expenses for missed work, living expenses while away, and other trivial items such as a dog sitter while away. 

Everyone gets paid for organ donation except the donor.  The recipient gets a new lease on life.  The Nephrologists, Surgeons, labs, hospital, etc., get an exorbitant amount of money and the donor…..gets to feel good for giving.  Not good enough!

You have 8 million dollars for this program.  If you keep 1 million for administrative costs then you could help 1,400 donors.  That beats the cost of dialysis.


Name
Address
email

Hemodialysis 1987 – 1988
Cadaveric Transplant 1988 – 2005
Hemodialysis 2005 - present

 

[kellyt]

Okarol:

Currently, can the donor, or potential donor, be reimbursed for their time away from work for testing/surgery/recovery and travel?  When I asked my coordinator she said no.  Do recipients offer to pay these expenses and if so is it legal?   

[okarol]

Okarol:

Currently, can the donor, or potential donor, be reimbursed for their time away from work for testing/surgery/recovery and travel?  When I asked my coordinator she said no.  Do recipients offer to pay these expenses and if so is it legal?   

Yes, you can reimburse the donor for travel, lodging and time missed from employment for both testing and the transplant. Just keep records.
Here's more info:

"...provide reimbursement for travel and subsistence expenses incurred towards living organ donation."

http://www.livingdonorassistance.org/potentialdonors/eligibilityguidelines.aspx