§274f Reimbursement of Travel and Subsistence Expenses Incurred Toward Living Organ Donation

Summary

The Secretary can give grants to states, transplant centers, organ procurement groups, or other public or private groups to repay travel and living costs for people who donate organs while alive, and to pay certain other incidental nonmedical costs the Secretary allows. Grants should be given first to donors who are most likely unable to pay these costs. Grant makers must not consider the organ recipient’s income when paying donors. The Secretary can also cover costs for people who tried in good faith to donate but did not, and can cover the same types of costs for up to two relatives or companions. Grants cannot pay expenses already paid or reasonably expected to be paid by a state program, insurance, federal or state health benefits, or a prepaid health services plan. Definitions: "donating individuals" means people who donate or who in good faith try to donate; "qualifying expenses" means the travel, subsistence, and other incidental nonmedical costs covered by the grants. The law authorized $5,000,000 for each fiscal year 2005 through 2009. Starting in fiscal year 2027, by December 31 each year the Secretary must send Congress and publish a report on whether grants that year fully reimbursed donors, how many donors were not fully reimbursed, and how much money would be needed to fully reimburse them.