Can the un-insured get kidney transplants? YES!

Refute to article

English: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services – Medicare & You 2010, official government handbook. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

While the Ethics of Organ Transplants article on About.com may be interesting, it does have one (at least) glaringly false statement! I’ve never been a big fan of the site anyway. And, really? I have to register with it to comment on Austin Cline’s article? C’mon. And I’m not giving out my email address just to correct some guy whose focus is on atheism and agnosticism anyway (ie; he doesn’t really care about organ donation).
Since I cannot comment (the easy way!), I will address it here. After all, some of you might have the same argument, or might have heard the same issue, and I want you to know that Cline’s argument is JUST NOT TRUE. He claims that, Overall, transplants are a procedure for people with lots of money or lots of insurance.
Listen to me carefully, especially if you or someone you know is need of a transplant: these procedures are NOT just for people with lots of money or lots of insurance. Not at all. My first transplant was covered by my dad’s insurance, yes.  I don’t know if he had good insurance. I know they made us jump through hoops to get it and to do the follow-up visits and I will never personally carry that particular one.
My 2nd one was covered by a combination of my husband’s insurance, Medicare, and the hospital’s kidney foundation/thing-a-ma-jigger/deal. No, I am not of retirement age and that was not a typo – Medicare actually has special clauses for various extenuating circumstances. ERSD is one of them. My 3rd transplant was covered by Medicare, the hospital’s kidney foundation thingy and outside funding/granting agencies due to extenuating circumstances.
Poor people CAN and DO have transplants, all the time. Ask a social worker or a member of your transplant team or your doctor for guidance. They are your first resource and can help!

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