The National Kidney Registry (NKR) applauds Representatives Mike Lawler (R-NY), Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), and Don Davis (D-NC) for introducing bipartisan legislation that will protect living kidney donors from unfair life insurance discrimination practices.
In recent years, living kidney donors have faced life insurance discrimination that disregards clear risk-based analysis[1] and decades of data on favorable donor life expectancy outcomes.[2] This discrimination, which can take the form of premium hikes or outright life insurance coverage denials, is a clear disincentive to living donation and imposes unfair hardship on individuals who altruistically donate a kidney to save a life.
Although most states have laws explicitly prohibiting insurance discrimination against organ donors, many lack effective enforcement mechanisms, making these statutes toothless. The NKR experienced this problem firsthand when it took legal action against a multibillion-dollar insurance company on behalf of a donor in Arizona,[3] which resulted in no corrective action by the insurance company, highlighting the need for a clear-cut solution at the federal level.
The NKR is proud to endorse the Kidney Donation Anti-Discrimination Act, which would:
- Establish a federal prohibition on life insurance discrimination based solely on an individual’s status as a living kidney donor.
- Allow kidney donors who have experienced life insurance discrimination to seek a remedy in federal court.
This solution would establish clear rules at the federal level, remove ambiguities created by a patchwork of state laws, and enable more lives to be saved by eliminating disincentives to living donation.
“I experienced this discrimination firsthand after I donated my kidney in 2015. When I attempted to increase my life insurance after my donation, the insurance providers more than doubled their premiums because of my reduced kidney function, typical of having only one kidney. About a year later, one of our executives donated his kidney and was denied life insurance coverage because he had a single kidney. These blatantly discriminatory practices in the life insurance industry need to stop.” said Garet Hil, NKR CEO and Founder. “The NKR is grateful for the leadership of our congressional champions on the Kidney Donation Anti-Discrimination Act and is excited to endorse this critical bill to ensure donors are not penalized for their selflessness and courage.”
“Someone who donates a kidney is giving someone the gift of life,” said Congressman Lawler.”No good deed should go punished, especially not one that saves a life. Studies show that donating a kidney does not impact life expectancy. It shouldn’t have an impact on someone’s life insurance, either, and my new bill will ensure that it doesn’t. I’m proud to introduce the Kidney Donation Anti-Discrimination Act and I look forward to working with my colleagues in both parties to get this important bill passed and signed into law.”
“Kidney donors are already doing one of the most selfless things an individual can do, and punishing them for their actions makes no sense,” said Congressman Van Drew. “It is a no-brainer that we protect these donors and ensure they face no unnecessary hardship, especially when it comes to life insurance, where they should be supported, not penalized, for their generosity.”
“We must never punish living organ donors who are making a selfless sacrifice for others,” said Congressman Don Davis. “Eastern North Carolinians are suffering from significant health disparities, and the last thing we should do is discourage Good Samaritans.”
About the National Kidney Registry
The National Kidney Registry (www.kidneyregistry.com) is an organization whose mission is to save and improve the lives of people facing kidney failure by increasing the quality, speed, and number of living donor transplants while protecting all living donors.
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4194161/
[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19179315/
[3] https://www.kidneyregistry.com/news/national-kidney-registry-files-lawsuit-to-stop-life-insurance-discrimination-against-living-donors/
Back to Press Releases