Myth - A deceased donor and/or family will be charged a medical fee for the organ recovery/removal.
Truth - There is NO cost to the donor and/or family for organ OR tissue donation.
In fact, the cost for organ recovery is charged to the organ/transplant recipient. The donor/family will be charged for any and all final efforts to save the donor's life, and sometimes those bills are misinterpreted as costs related to organ donation, but, again, the cost of organ donation is the responsibility to the recipient, NOT the donor.
As a side note: there are organizations set up that offer financial assistance to transplant patients/families who may not be able to pay for the cost of transplantation on their own. A good place to start is Transplants.org
Thanks!
Nate
Organ Donation Myth #1: Will the Doctors Save My Life?
Organ Donation Myth #2: Is My Driver's License Enough?
I am a respiratory therapist by trade- but now stay at home with my two kids. I cannot count how many I have seen saved, because of organ donation. It's truly a beautiful thing.
ReplyDeleteHi Nate,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to add that if a person is willing to be a living donor (of kidney, lung lobe, or part of a liver) all medical costs (including workup, surgery, inpatient, etc) are the responsibility of the recipient (or their insurance co.). I had my heart/lung tx in 2001, and now am waiting for a kidney tx. But thankfully, I have had many offers from family and friends to be a kidney donor. Praise God!
That is some good info!
ReplyDeleteI had never even considered the costs of a transplant and who pays as it is all paid for by the NHS here in the UK. Are many people denied a transplant due to not being able to pay for it?
ReplyDeleteThis is purely out of curiosity but the first call you got for a transplant turned out not to be viable. At that point do they continue to look for another recipient or does that mean those lungs are just not good for donation? Or could both be true depending on the situation?
ReplyDeleteGood informaiton. Way to spread the word!!!
ReplyDeleteI wondering how many lives are being saved thanks to this blog? God only knows!
ReplyDeleteVery well said. I work for a hospital that does tx's and we actually discount all charges related to the organ/organs and they are removed from the patients bill. There are also many Research Hospitals (such as Duke and the one I work for) that have studies going on related to tx's and there is no charge to the donor or patient since it is research related. We all know that without research, the technology and advancements in transplants would not be where it is today if not for the generous people that agree to be part of studies. You really are blessed beyond measure! They are so adorable together.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Kelly...non-socialised medical care is mad. The idea of a family being charged for attempts to save a family member's life is mind blowing. We moan about the NHS here, but we don't know what we've got.
ReplyDeleteNate,
ReplyDeleteThank you for doing this series of myth posts. My FIL was an organ donor almost 10 years ago and it is amazing the amount of answers you find out once your loved one passes away and becomes a donor. The procurement team for the University of Miami was so informative. Thanks again for clearing up misconceptions about donations.
Thank you so much for clearing up the myths on organ donation. There were several I had heard before, and am glad to know the truth. My husband and I have been following your story, and signed up to be donors. You and your family have really inspired us to think about eternity, and if our bodies will help someone else live after we are gone then that is what we need to do.
ReplyDeleteWe are glad to hear that y'all are all doing well!
~Cynthia
Thanks for answering these myths. I have heard about the donor family having to pay the expenses. Which honestly has made me hesitant of signing up to be a donor. Your blog has opened my eyes to organ donation on a whole other level.
ReplyDeleteThis is great information. I have always been a donor and have expressed my wishes with my family, but never really new the process or what would happen. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI think it's great that you're dispelling these myths about organ donation. Because of you sharing about CF and organ donation, a story on my local news tonight really peaked my attention. It was a story about a 13 year old girl named Brieanna Yowell who lives in Coral Springs, FL, which is nearby to where I live. She has CF and is waiting for a double lung transplant. She has to raise $75,000 on her own in order to even have the surgery. They are 79% of the way to the goal. Her website is: http://www.cotaforbrieannay.com/
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to mention it so if anyone felt led to give they could, and of course so people could pray for this family, too. It would be a way to show God's love to them, since I don't know whether they are Christians or not.
There's also a message board on her website where you can leave encouraging notes if you'd like.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Karen in FL
how many people are denied transplants due to $ in the US? (just curious)
ReplyDeleteI had never even considered the costs associated with organ recovery/removal. Thanks for enlightening those of us who do not know how these things work.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes to all tree of you, from a fellow lungtransplanted cf-man in Norway.
ReplyDeleteYou can also check out some expert insight on common organ donation myths and misconceptions with our four-part "Get the Facts!" series here:
ReplyDeletewww.youtube.com/donatelifeillinois
Don't let common myths prevent you from saving lives!
Scott
My grandmother, at age 91, was able to be an organ donor. In the hospital we were assigned a social worker to help us through the process and stay with my grandmother the entire time. She was amazing and truly held our hand throughout the whole process. We also received a medal and letter in her honor, thanking us for her contribution. We were never billed for any services and everyone went above and beyond to respect my family and my grandmother as we made our decisions. Because she had a stroke and was officially brain dead but on machines to breathe, we were even able to choose anesthesia for her because it made us more comfortable.
ReplyDelete