What Is Liver Donor Shield?
Liver Donor Shield is a comprehensive suite of support and protections offered to living liver donors by the National Liver Registry. It includes living donor financial assistance for donation-related expenses not covered by insurance, as well as a wide range of help before, during, and after donation to make the donation process as easy, convenient, and safe as possible.
Here’s what Liver Donor Shield includes:
Lost Wage Reimbursement
Liver donors must take several weeks off from work for tests, surgery, and recovery. To help offset any lost wages resulting from that time off, Liver Donor Shield offers lost wage reimbursement up to a maximum of $2,000 per week for up to 12 weeks.
The first six weeks of reimbursement are automatic for qualified liver donors. Lost wage reimbursement beyond six weeks requires physician approval and is generally only available to those with manual labor jobs or post-donation complications.
Reimbursement for Travel, Lodging, and Dependent Care Costs
Donors covered by Liver Donor Shield are eligible for reimbursement of donation-related travel, lodging, meals, dependent care, and pet care.
Covered travel expenses include transportation (taxi, ride share, car rental, parking), mileage (IRS standard mileage rate), lodging (hotel, motel, Airbnb, etc.), and meals for the donor and an accompanying caregiver.
Dependent care reimbursement covers the cost of care for children or adult dependents of the donor when the donor is away from home during the donation process and when they are home recovering after the donation surgery. Covered dependent care expenses include child or adult day care, before- and after-school care, in-home care, and summer day camp. Reimbursement for pet care costs includes pet-sitting or kennel expenses.
The maximum reimbursement for travel and dependent care costs is $8,000.
Donor Mentors
Liver Donor Shield includes the option of connecting with a donor mentor, a living liver donor who can explain the process, answer questions, offer insights, and provide education based on their own liver donation experience. Connecting with a mentor is free and completely optional.
Legal Support
Donors protected by Liver Donor Shield are offered free legal support for unlawful employment termination, health insurance discrimination, life insurance discrimination, or other issues directly related to liver donation. Support may include legal counsel, guidance, or helping find a local attorney.
Complication Protection
Complications related to donor surgery are rare, but if you have any type of donation-related complication after your liver donation surgery that is not covered by insurance or other sources, Donor Shield will cover your lost wages and expenses. Donor Shield provides lost wage reimbursement of up to $2,000 per week for treatment of donation-related complications. Lost wage reimbursement beyond 12 weeks requires additional documentation.
Qualifying for Liver Donor Shield
You are eligible for Liver Donor Shield if you donate at a participating Liver Donor Shield center. Donors are not required to provide financial or income information in order to qualify, and no one is disqualified based on income. Be sure to ask your center’s donor coordinator for information about how to sign up.