getting a transplant out of state

[Lillupie]

Hey has anyone got a transplant out of state with medicare and medicaid? Or is that only for people who have private insurance? I have medicaid as well as medicare so was wondering how I would pay for the 20%.

Lisa

[okarol]

Why are you going out of state? Have you multiple listed? It has to be outside your local procurement area (I guess some states are the entire area?)
If you don't have enough to cover the 20% you can have a friend or family begin a fundraising campaign on your behalf. You may also want to check out the resources listed here http://www.kidneyfund.org/kidney-health/kidney-failure/paying-for-treatment.html#Health_Insurance

[Lillupie]

I want to go out of state because I am 27 and and have a 4 year old and I am having a really hard time economically. It is a 5 year wait. Every person I know has got a kidney before me and it my age. I dont have the support system to raise money for me.

[Rerun]

You could look into moving where you want to be, and then moving your wait time to the new place.  That way you would have time to get on that state's medicaid program. 

I was in Sacramento alone.... I got on the transplant list there and then moved to Spokane, WA and had to be reevaluated.  If I would have continued with it my time would have been moved from Sacramento to Spokane, but I gave up due to my matching percentage.  Two percent chance to match wasn't worth all the test year after year.  There were other reasons too, but my point is you could move and then wait for your kidney.

If you have a 4 year old you may need to move to where your support system is at.