For a person thinking of being a living organ donor, an important consideration is the cost of being a donor.

You probably already know that you are not eligible for financial compensation for being a donor. But it may not have occurred to you that this act of generosity could set you back financially.

To even explore the possibility of being a donor, you will need to have a physical exam and blood tests to document your blood group. These costs may be covered by your own health insurance if it pays for an annual physical. But if not covered by your insurance, you should find out in advance if these costs will be reimbursable as part of the transplant process (and they should be).

The results of this physical will need to be reviewed and approved by a transplant team before they can begin evaluating you as a donor.

If you proceed, most all medical costs from this point out -- starting with your first visit to the transplant clinic, additional labs and diagnostic tests, HLA testing, CT angiogram, etc -- will be covered by the recipient's insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or by the transplant center.

And when it comes to the actual surgery, the hospital costs, the surgeon's and anesthesiologist's fees, and all expenses associated with your hospital stay also will be covered.

The length of time your expenses will be covered for follow-up medical care after your discharge, however, can vary greatly. If there are complications related to your kidney or liver donation, you want to be sure that the expenses for your care are covered as long as possible. It is important to discuss this -- and other potential financial consequences of donation -- in advance with the transplant financial coordinator.

Are There Expenses That Are NOT Covered?

In the past, the costs of travel and lodging, child care or daily living expenses incurred during pre-surgery testing and follow-up visits generally were not reimbursed. However, this is rapidly changing, and travel and lodging costs are now more frequently covered.

The issue of your lost wages is certainly concern that you want to explore prior to the operation. In some cases, the donor's insurance may cover some or all of your lost wages. Government agencies and some private employers increasingly are starting to make living donors eligible for paid leave. Alternatively, your employer might let you cover the time off from a combination of sick leave and vacation time.

The trend is to provide more coverage of a donor's expenses, to make the living-donation decision as financially painless as possible.

Back to What Should I Consider

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All information provided in this site is offered for educational purposes only, and it is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your own physician or healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.