Study shows huge gaps in need for donors versus treatment they receive
Organ donors get prescription requests rejected by insurance companies, have their policies cancelled or are refused coverage, and are fired from work, among other incidents of discrimination uncovered by a study of organ donors released October 19. Rep. Jang Hyang-sook of the ruling Uri Party, who is a member of the National Assembly’s Health and Welfare Committee, released the results of the study, which was conducted by the Korea Network for Organ Sharing (KONOS), a government-affiliated organization that manages all organ transplants performed in Korea. The study covered 66 medical centers across the nation, and found 42 organ donors who had suffered from discrimination. According to the data, a considerable number of donors have been refused insurance coverage after having donated their organs. Four insurance companies refused Ms. Lee, 28, citing that organ donors are considered "irregular" and thus a risk. Ms. Baek, 40, a kidney donor, could get insurance coverage only after signing an agreement that she would not be covered for anything related to kidney problems or diabetes. Another kidney donor Mr. Park, 50, also suffered similar discrimination. Mr. Im, 50, said he was dismissed from his company after donating an organ.Rep. Jang said, "In a reality where the number of people waiting for organ transplants is increasing every year, how can such discrimination exist? It is necessary to make a law banning discrimination against organ donors." The number of patients who are waiting for organ transplants has greatly increased every year, but the number of people willing to donate their organs remains small. Therefore, only 12.1 percent of those 15,000 patients received organ transplants last year.
