Experiences obtaining insurance after live kidney donation

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Transplantation Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• The long-term implications of living kidney donation on recipients' post-donation insurability remain under-researched.
• Insurance accessibility is crucial for individuals considering altruistic organ donation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of kidney donation on the ability of donors to obtain or modify health and life insurance.
• To quantify the difficulties and adverse outcomes experienced by kidney donors when seeking insurance.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to 1046 individuals who underwent kidney donation between 1970 and 2011 at a single center.
• Participants reported on changes to or initiation of health and life insurance post-donation and any associated difficulties.

Main Results:

• Seven percent of kidney donors experienced difficulties with health insurance post-donation, including denials, higher premiums, or being classified with preexisting conditions.
• Twenty-five percent of kidney donors faced challenges with life insurance, with similar adverse outcomes reported.
• Life insurance presented a greater challenge for kidney donors compared to health insurance.

Conclusions:

• A substantial proportion of kidney donors encounter significant obstacles when attempting to secure or alter health and life insurance.
• Insurance industry practices create undue stress and financial burdens for living kidney donors.
• These insurance-related difficulties may deter potential living kidney donors, impacting organ transplantation rates.