American Kidney Fund Commends House Passage of Legislation Expanding Access to Living Organ Donor Assistance Program

ROCKVILLE, Md. (Dec. 18, 2024) —  The American Kidney Fund (AKF) applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the Honor Our Living Donors Act (H.R. 6020), which would allow more living organ donors to qualify for the federal government program that reimburses living donors for lost wages, dependent care, travel and incidental expenses during the donation process. While insurance typically covers the medical costs of a transplant for living donors, other expenses, such as those associated with taking leave from work and securing lodging or transportation, are generally not covered, meaning the donor must pay for those expenses out-of-pocket. 

H.R. 6020 modifies certain criteria that are used to determine eligibility under the Living Organ Donation Reimbursement Program and specifies that the organ recipient's income may not be considered in determining whether an organ donor may be reimbursed under the program. The legislation was introduced by Reps. Jay Obernolte (R-CA) and Suzan DelBene (D-WA) and is cosponsored by Joe Wilson (R-SC), Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), Larry Bucshon (R-IN), Dean Phillips (D-MN), Don Bacon (R-NE), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Donald Davis (D-NC), and Del. Eleanor Homes Norton (D-DC).  

"The generosity of living organ donors cannot be overstated," said LaVarne A. Burton, President and CEO of the American Kidney Fund. "We need to make it easier for people to be living donors, and this bill is an important step in that direction. Out-of-pocket costs associated with donating can cause financial challenges or potentially dissuade people from donating in the first place. We are grateful to the Members of Congress who have championed this legislation, which will help encourage living donation and ultimately will save lives. We urge Congress to take swift action to enact the Honor Our Living Donors Act before the end of the year." 

Over 104,000 Americans are currently on the organ transplant waiting list and over 92,000 of them, or 88%, are waiting for a kidney. Many people wait years for a kidney transplant, and 12 die every day while waiting. In the face of the severe shortage of kidneys available for transplant, increasing the number of living donors will increase the overall organ supply for all people on the waitlist.

Of the 28,144 kidney transplants performed in the U.S. in 2023, 1 in 4 – 6,290 – were made possible by living organ donors. AKF is leading efforts to increase living organ donation and issues an annual report on progress in its Living Donor Protection Report Card. 

Transplants from living donors generally present fewer complications than deceased donor transplants and living donor organs typically function longer than deceased donor organs.