A step toward solving the long-term care dilemma for living kidney donors

Transplantation. 2012 Nov 27;94(10):988-9. doi: 10.1097/TP.0b013e318271921f.

Abstract

Living kidney donor transplantation, universally recognized as the best current option in care for patients with end-stage renal disease, has shown a static growth in application in the United States despite continued expansion of the prevalent number of patients sustained by dialysis. Whether insurance providers' deficient payment to transplantation facilities for long-term costs generated by living kidney donors contributes to the problem was examined by the facility. Precise focus on all coding and billing for services rendered during care beyond 6 months effectively increased reimbursement from insurance providers for a living kidney donor from 47% to 85% of the amount billed. Although the sample of 82 donors was small and predominantly white (81.7%), it seems reasonable to suggest that centers with a low rate of payment consider an examination of their own billing and coding practices. The extent of donor resistance to participate in a continuing posttransplantation relationship with the transplantation center previously linked to financial issues borne by the donor remains unaddressed and could be explored in a subsequent study.

Publication types

  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Humans
  • Insurance, Health, Reimbursement / economics*
  • Kidney Transplantation / economics*
  • Living Donors*
  • Male