Proposed Golden Rule Approach to Organ Donations

Most people would be willing to take an organ to save their lives, but many of those people would not be willing to donate an organ to save the life of another. Currently, only 43% of American adults are registered organ donors.

New Jersey Sharing Network sets forth a Golden Rule proposal that would allow insurers in New Jersey to limit transplant coverage for those who will not register as organ donors. No one would be denied an organ, but insurers would not have to reimburse costs associated with transplants for those who will not donate an organ in return for one they would be willing to take. The proposal would also require that at every policy renewal period, insurance companies have to provide information to policyholders about how they can register to be an organ donor. The proposal aims to prompt us all to ask if we’re as willing to give as we are to receive and would hopefully save many more lives in New Jersey.

See Encourage The Golden Rule For Organ Donations, Transplant Coverage, NJ.com, Mar. 25, 2012.