title: Experiences obtaining insurance after live kidney donation.
abstract: The impact of kidney donation on the ability to change or initiate health or life insurance following donation is unknown. To quantify this risk, we surveyed 1046 individuals who donated a kidney at our center between 1970 and 2011. Participants were asked whether they changed or initiated health or life insurance after donation, and if they had any difficulty doing so. Among 395 donors who changed or initiated health insurance after donation, 27 (7%) reported difficulty; among those who reported difficulty, 15 were denied altogether, 12 were charged a higher premium and 8 were told they had a preexisting condition because they were kidney donors. Among 186 donors who changed or initiated life insurance after donation, 46 (25%) reported difficulty; among those who reported difficulty, 23 were denied altogether, 27 were charged a higher premium and 17 were told they had a preexisting condition because they were kidney donors. In this single-center study, a high proportion of kidney donors reported difficulty changing or initiating insurance, particularly life insurance. These practices by insurers create unnecessary burden and stress for those choosing to donate and could negatively impact the likelihood of live kidney donation among those considering donation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Boyarsky
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Massie
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Alejo
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Van Arendonk
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wildonger
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Garonzik-Wang
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Montgomery
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Deshpande
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Muzaale
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Segev
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005249:Fees and Charges; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics; D007668:Kidney; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male
keywords: Health services and outcomes research; insurance; kidney transplantation/nephrology; kidney transplantation: living donor; law/legislation