title: Reciprocating living kidney donor generosity: tax credits, health insurance and an outcomes registry.
abstract: Kidney transplantation significantly improves patient survival, and is the most cost effective renal replacement option compared with dialysis therapy. Living kidney donors provide a valuable societal gift, but face many formidable disincentive barriers that include not only short- and long-term health risks, but also concerns regarding financial expenditures and health insurance. Other than governmental coverage for their medical evaluation and surgical expenses, donors are often asked to personally bear a significant financial responsibility due to lost work wages and travel expenses. In order to alleviate this economic burden for donors, we advocate for the consideration of tax credits, lifelong health insurance coverage, and an outcomes registry as societal reciprocity to reward their altruistic act of kidney donation.
authors.affiliation: Department ofMedicine, Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, FL, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Shivam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.affiliation: Nova Southeastern University , Fort Lauderdale, FL , USA.
authors.forename: Sheela
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.affiliation: Department ofMedicine, Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, FL, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Warren
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kupin
keywords: kidney transplantation; live donor transplantation; policy; risk