how much would it cost me to donate a kidney

It really depends on what you want and where you’re willing to go to get it. On the black market, you will be charged around $100,000 to $200,000 for a kidney transplant from eastern Europe, as shown by a recent study released by the Council of Europe. From this incredibly high expense, the donor will only get about $2,500 to $3,000.

Full Answer

What is the recovery time after donating a kidney?

Living donation costs. Friends since the sixth grade, these women have stayed in touch for a long time. Now they have the gift of life in common, after one donated her kidney to …

What are the dangers of donating a kidney?

How much does it cost to be a living kidney donor? The evaluation and hospitalization costs of a living organ donor are covered completely by the recipient's Medicare and/or insurance coverage. The donor is not responsible for any medical expenses. However, donors are not reimbursed for lost income, transportation costs or personal expenses.

How safe is donating a kidney?

Aug 25, 2018 · Kidney transplantation cost in India is much less as compared to other medical tourism destinations. For example, the cost of kidney transplantation in Singapore can be as high as five to ten times as compared to India. On the other hand, the kidney transplantation cost in Turkey is close to that of India.

What makes a person decide to donate a kidney?

These expenses will add up to the total cost of a kidney transplant. You will need to take anti-rejection drugs as long as your new kidney is working. The cost of these drugs can go up to $17,000 per year, as stated by the American Kidney Fund. Additional charges accompanying with transplantation consist of:

How to test if you can donate a kidney?

Testing to see if you can donate a kidney begins with a blood test. The test will determine your blood type and if it will match the recipient’s blood (compatibility). If your blood type is compatible with the recipient, two more blood tests will be done (tissue typing and cross-matching).

Why is the cost of kidney transplantation higher?

In such cases, the kidney transplantation cost may go higher as the recipient requires an extra dose of anti-rejection medicines and higher monitoring levels.

Why is dialysis important?

Dialysis is important to ensure that the body of the patient keeps functioning normally and the waste products are eliminated from the body. An alternative to dialysis is kidney transplantation, following which dialysis is no longer required in the long term.

What is kidney transplant?

Kidney transplantation is a major surgery that involves the placement of a healthy kidney in the body of the patient. The doctors conduct the surgery only when both the kidneys are not functional or when the patient has end-stage kidney disease. The healthy kidney is retrieved from the body of a suitable living donor.

How long does a kidney transplant last?

Kidney transplantation is an expensive procedure as compared to dialysis. However, a kidney taken from a donor lasts for around 10 to 15 years. However, dialysis is required at regular intervals. Therefore, in terms of cost-effectiveness, kidney transplantation is preferred as compared to dialysis.

Can a deceased person donate organs?

If the deceased person was not a donor, the immediate family members can give their consent to donate the organs of the cadaver . However, a majority of countries allow kidney transplantation from a cadaveric donor for their own nationals and not a patient from abroad.

Why are organ transplants different?

This is because an organ transplantation surgery involves two parties – the recipient and the donor.

What is a kidney transplant?

Kidney Transplant. The basic definition of a kidney transplant is replacing the old, unhealthy kidney with a new and healthy one. The kidney that will replace should match the old kidney.

Why do people need kidney transplants?

A lot of people prefer a kidney transplant since it gives them a better life quality, unlike dialysis. In a kidney transplant, your old kidney will be replaced with a healthy one to do its job. It is better to talk to a patient who had a kidney transplant if you are planning to have one. You should also take to your doctor about it.

How long does a kidney transplant last?

However, there are also other factors to consider such as the origin of the kidney. The average survival times of a kidney are: 95% lasts 1 year. 85% up to 90% lasts 5 years.

Is a kidney transplant covered by insurance?

A kidney transplant is usually covered by an insurance since it is a medical necessity. The cost of a kidney transplant if you are covered by an insurance only consist of out of pocket costs such as copays for the doctor’s visit, prescription drugs, and lab.

How to save money?

Ways to Save Money. You, your family, and your friends can do a fundraising campaign to help cover the extra expenses such as food and lodging. Fundraising campaign can even cover the cost of the procedure. However, you should be careful since you will have to consider financial and legal concerns.

Do people on dialysis live longer?

People who remain in dialysis live a shorter life than people who had kidney transplants according to a study. On the other hand, there are also risks in a kidney transplant. You are also required to take anti-rejection drugs. These drugs will prevent your immune system to reject your new organ.

How long does the federal government give for organ donation?

Employees of the federal government receive 30 days paid leave for organ donation and 7 days for bone marrow donation. The leave is over and above the employee's sick and annual leave.

How long is organ donation leave?

This leave is considered separate from any annual or sick leave already accrued by an employee. Usually, the period of leave is 30 days for organ donors or 7 days for bone marrow donors. Click here for detailed state-by-state information.

What is the National Living Donor Assistance Program?

This program provides financial assistance to those who want to donate an organ but are not able to afford the travel and subsistence expenses associated with living organ donation.

Is post operative care covered by Medicare?

Time off from work is not covered by Medicare or private insurance. However, donors may be eligible for sick leave, state disability and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Which states allow leave of absence for private sector employees?

Private Sector Employees. Eight states (Arkansas, Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska and Oregon) allow a leave of absence for private sector employees but in many cases, it only applies to marrow (not organ) donors. Click here for detailed state-by-state information.

What is living donation?

Living donation is a type of kidney transplant where a living person donates one of their two healthy kidneys to a person living with kidney disease. A living donor is the person who donates their healthy kidney.

How do I know if I am healthy enough to donate a kidney?

You will need to have a full health evaluation at the transplant center. You will meet with many members of the donor evaluation team. This team is specially assigned to work with you as a possible living donor and includes members similar to those on the transplant team.

What may prevent me from donating a kidney?

There are some health conditions that may prevent you from donating a kidney, including:

Can I donate a kidney if I drink alcohol?

Talk with your donor evaluation team to know if you can donate. In most cases:

What are the possible risks of donating a kidney?

When donating a kidney, there are possible physical, emotional and financial risks. The donor evaluation team will review the possible risks with you. They will not let you donate if you have a high risk.

After I donate a kidney, will I have any side effects or health problems?

After you recover from the donation surgery, you should feel and be well. You can live with just one healthy kidney. Your remaining kidney will be able to do most of the work of both of your kidneys.

What is kidney donation surgery like?

Most kidney transplant surgeries are done laparoscopically. A laparoscopic surgery is a type of surgery that uses very small cuts on the body and a laparoscope, which is a thin, lighted tube used to see inside the body. In kidney donor surgery, the surgeon makes small cuts (only a few inches long) on the donor's stomach and removes the kidney.

How to remove kidneys?

There are two different surgeries your doctor may perform to remove your kidney: an open incision removal and a laparoscopic procedure. The laparoscopic procedure is much less invasive, which means there are fewer risks involved and the recovery time is shorter.

Why is it important to have regular checkups?

The purpose of this is to make sure you are healing properly, so be sure to go to all scheduled appointments. It is also important to continue getting regular medical checkups throughout your life. Your doctor may want to monitor your kidney function to make sure your remaining kidney is functioning properly.

Can you have only one kidney?

While your body is perfectly capable of functioning normally with only one kidney, you will be at a disadvantage should your remaining kidney fail. If you end up needing a kidney transplant, you will be given preference as a prior donor.

Does insurance cover kidney transplant?

Most of the time, your medical expenses will be covered by either the recipient’s insurance or by the transplant center if you choose to donate a kidney. Make sure to find out if you will be responsible for any costs. Also, keep in mind that the surgery may have many hidden costs that are not covered.

Is WikiHow a copyright?

All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not</b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website.

Can you donate a kidney to a stranger?

You also have the option of donating to a stranger or participating in a paired exchange donation, which means you will donate your kidney to a stranger on the condition that a compatible stranger also donates a kidney to your loved one.