CHENNAI: In an attempt to encourage customers with organ failure go undergo expensive transplant surgeries, insurance companies are planning policies that will cover the donor's medical expenses during transplants.
Star Health and Allied Insurance said its policy for donors would include infection and other complications arising out of donation during the surgery and hospitalization. "It is a cover given to the insured and an extension is provided to donors," said Tamil Nadu health CMD V Jagannathan.
Normally, during organ donation the recipient has to pay out of his or her pocket for the donor's medical expenses even if he or she is insured. The cost of surgery to harvest the organ from the donor can run to Rs 75,000, in case of infections or complications because it requires treatment and longer stay in hospital.
Transplant surgeons have been campaigning for insurance companies to include donor charges for such surgeries. Patients also tell doctors to ask their insurance companies to cover donor charges.
Liver transplant patient Srinivasan, whose total bill came to Rs 22 lakh, said he had to spend Rs 70,000 for his wife, who was the donor. "The policy does not cover the entire cost of transplant in most cases. The patient will also have to spend a lot of money on immunosuppressant drugs after transplant. So cover for the donor as well would be extremely helpful," he said.
Firms providing cover for donors during surgery
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Firms providing cover for donors during surgery
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Firms providing cover for donors during surgery
