How Will New York State Now Pay You to Donate an Organ?

Have you joined the New York State Organ Donor Registry? I signed up years ago, personally, I do recognize that it is up to the individual if they want to donate their organs after they pass, but what if you didn't have to wait that long?

What am I talking about? This is called a "living donation" and there is a way that New York State will allow you to be compensated for you making that donation. Why?

Possibly it has to do with the large number of persons who are currently on "the list" in New York State. The list with which I speak is the organ donor list, where you are on the list, which can determine whether or not you can even get the organ that you need.

How many people in New York State are on the organ donor list?

How many people? According to a press release from Governor Hochul's office, there are just about 8500 people currently on the list. Of that number, 7200 are waiting for a kidney. The kidney is one of the transplants that can be done from relative to relative, and a living donation (if everything matches).

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So how is New York State going to pay people to have them participate in one of these living organ donations?

Let's just preface everything with first and foremost you need to be a match. Testing and doctors are the only ones who can tell you if you are a match. What was signed into law in New York was called the New York State Living Donors Support Act, which will help to make sure that the expenses that are incurred by the donor are covered. Yes, New York is the first in the nation to pass this.

The expenses that could be covered are not just limited to the medical costs, but also for things like missed work, childcare coverage while you recover and more. Yes, this is pretty big, but the only way the number of people on the list can go down is if more people make up their minds to donate.