You’re in your 30s. You work hard. You strive to master your craft. You support your extended family. You are liked by both your co-workers and boss.
Problem: You unexpectedly become unhealthy–you find out your kidneys are failing.
Solution: Regular kidney dialysis can keep you alive, by filtering toxins out of your blood.
Problem: Dialysis is time consuming (>3 hours/session, 3 sessions/week) and leaves you feeling tired and weak.
Solution: Your brother, who is a tissue match, offers you the gift of a lifetime–one of his kidneys.
Problem: Because you don’t have health insurance (you are covered under the Medicaid program for your “emergency” dialysis only) you are deemed ineligible for the transplant surgery.
Fact: The estimated cost of dialysis is $75,000 per year. The cost of the transplant surgery and care is $100,000, with an additional $10,000/year in anti-rejection medication costs.
Fact: Research shows that transplant pays for itself vs. the cost of dialysis at four years. Beyond that point, transplant is a tremendous cost saver overall. Patients feel better and live longer with transplant, too.
Solution: Surgeons at a medical center agree to waive their fees to perform the transplant.
Problem: The hospital still won’t allow the transplant to go forward.
Solution: Your kind boss offers to pitch in for health insurance.
Problem: You are denied because your kidney disease is a “pre-existing” condition.
Solution: Raise $200,000 to pay the hospital up front for the cost of the operation and any potential complications.
Any readers out there willing to step up?
You can read the full story of this patient’s plight here. Pay attention to the comments below the article to see the extremes of opinion.
The patient in question is an undocumented immigrant. His children were born here and are citizens. He meaningfully contributes to the community.
But because of his status, he’s out of luck in the sweepstakes world of health care.
John Schumann is an internal medicine physician who blogs at GlassHospital.
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