The National Kidney Registry (NKR) announced the expansion of Donor Shield by increasing the maximum allowable lost wage reimbursement of four weeks to a maximum of six weeks. This change is effective
immediately, so any donor who donates on or after May 26, 2021, is eligible for the extended reimbursements.
“Some donors require more than four weeks to recover from kidney donation surgery, especially when they work in jobs that require heavy lifting,” said Garet Hil, Founder & CEO of the National Kidney Registry, and a kidney donor himself. “We do not want any donor to feel rushed in returning to work. This enhancement to Donor Shield is intended to address those rare cases where a donor needs six weeks to recover after giving the gift of life.”
Donor Shield protects and supports approximately 25% of all living kidney donors in the United States. Donor Shield eliminates disincentives to living donation and includes lost wage reimbursement; travel & lodging reimbursement; donation life insurance; donation disability insurance; legal support; financial coverage for medical costs due to uncovered complications; travel, lodging and wage reimbursement for uncovered complications; and fair access to life insurance.
About Donor Shield
Donor Shield (www.donor-shield.org) is the only comprehensive program in the world supporting and protecting living kidney donors. Donor Shield is backed by the National Kidney Registry, which is the largest paired exchange program in the world. All donors that participate in a National Kidney Registry swap or donate at a Donor Shield Direct center are automatically enrolled in the Donor Shield program.
About the National Kidney Registry
The National Kidney Registry (www.kidneyregistry.org) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to save and improve the lives of people facing kidney failure by increasing the quality, speed, and number of living donor transplants while protecting all living donors.