Govt urged to reimburse living organ donors

[okarol]

Govt urged to reimburse living organ donors
ABC - August 19, 2008, 11:19 am

Kidney Health Australia has called on all states to back a Western Australian plan to reimburse living organ donors for lost income during their recovery time.

An organ donation summit in Perth yesterday also put forward an idea that governments should contribute towards organ donors' funerals.

Tim Matthew from Kidney Health says living donors could be out of pocket by as much as $6,000 but could save tax payers about $80,000 annually for the cost of maintaining someone on dialysis.

"It's nothing to do with incentive payments, it's all to do with recouping costs that in some situations amount to many thousands of dollars," he said.

"We think that's an important part of the program that Government could pick up and would translate through into some people being able to donate who currently can't."

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/4930334/govt-urged-to-reimburse-living-organ-donors

[pelagia]

I personally think this is a great idea.  Consider what happens when someone who is self-employed donates a kidney, especially if they live out-of-state.  They have to go for tests, perhaps driving or flying long distances.  And then after the donation they are going to be unable to work for at least a few weeks, if not more, and then they may still be feeling a bit tired for some weeks after that.  It makes perfect sense to me.  If someone makes $45,000 (US) a year and they are out of work for a month, that's almost $4,000 without any traveling costs, lodging, etc. included.