WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) introduced legislation to make it easier for living donors to give the gift of life by expanding eligibility for donor compensation to cover wages, travel, childcare and caregiver expenses associated with donation. The Honor Our Living Donors (HOLD) Act will help Americans graduate from the transplant waitlist and return to living healthy lives by facilitating more donations from people who may be unable to donate due to cost barriers.

Currently, the Living Organ Donation Reimbursement Program assists low-income donors with limited reimbursements, preventing potential donors from qualifying. In the U.S., the kidney transplant waiting list exceeds 92,000 people, though only about 6,000 living donations take place each year. By decreasing the financial strain imposed on donors, the HOLD Act can increase living donation and save lives.  

“Thousands of lives are saved each year through organ donation,” said Boozman. “I am proud to join Senator Luján on this bipartisan initiative that reduces financial barriers to donation, ensuring Americans have the resources necessary to increase the potential donor pool and ultimately save lives.”

“Every day, families lose their loved ones while waiting for an organ transplant while generous living donors are unable to step forward because of the financial burden,” said Luján. “The HOLD Act will help remove those barriers, you will not have to choose between your livelihood and the opportunity to save a life. I’m proud to partner with Senator Boozman on this bipartisan effort to support our living organ donors. By providing living organ donors with the resources they need, we can increase the number of donors, reduce the transplant waitlist, and save lives.”

“No American should face out of pocket costs for giving the gift of life as a living kidney donor,” said ASN President Prabir Roy-Chaudhury, MD, PhD, FASN. “The HOLD Act advances that goal by simplifying the process by which living donors can offset the costs associated with donating a kidney. I commend Senator Luján and Senator Boozman for their leadership, which will allow more of the nearly 100,000 Americans on the waitlist to benefit from a lifesaving kidney transplant.”

Full text of the bill can be found here.