No transplant centers in Nevada

[Trek]

I came across this news story where Veronica De La Cruz, a former CNN anchor, is trying to help her brother get a heart transplant. Problem is, he lives in Nevada and is insured by Nevada Medicaid (can't get private insurance due to pre-existing conditions) but Nevada has no transplant centers. Apparently he's been turned down twice by some Federal Disability program which would allow him to get on a transplant list in another state.

Luckily for him, Trent Reznor of NIN's has been helping Veronica to get donations so he can just pay cash for a heart and they've raised over $850,000 so far. So he'll hopefully get his new heart anyway and soon.

But you gotta feel for all those people in Nevada that need a transplant but don't have famous siblings or help from rock stars to raise millions for their treatment.

So if you live in Nevada, don't let your organs fail! (or go get one made in China.)

Journalist/TV Personality Veronica De La Cruz Fights to Save Brother's Life

Trent Reznor Raises Over $850,000 for Man's Heart Transplant - Spinner

 

[ziggy29]

Definitely something to consider before retiring in Nevada.

 

[Trek]

Absolutely. I never would have even thought that a state wouldn't have a transplant center. I don't know about currently, but I think quite a few people used to retire to Nevada. What a huge nasty surprise to discover that if the need ever arose.

I wonder if other U.S. states don't have transplant centers as well? Something to consider.

 

[LOL!]

Isn't one usually on a transplant list quite a long time? It seems that a judicious move to a location served by a list that has the highest probability of meeting your need might be in order when your need arises.

 

[Trek]

Isn't one usually on a transplant list quite a long time? It seems that a judicious move to a location served by a list that has the highest probability of meeting your need might be in order when your need arises.

I suppose if you have great private insurance that is portable to other states, you could do that. Otherwise, you're screwed cause by the time your organ is failing, you'll never get private insurance anywhere else and I guess there are issues with Medicaid as well, judging from the De La Cruz situation above.

If you have some cash put away, you can get bargain rates on organs/transplants in China or India or other third world destinations.

 

[JDARNELL]

Isn't one usually on a transplant list quite a long time? It seems that a judicious move to a location served by a list that has the highest probability of meeting your need might be in order when your need arises.

It all depends on how sick you are, blood type, location, etc. UNOS has a system that dictates order of merit (so to speak). My son was on the list for 65 days back in 1998/1999. I was really rushing to get the insurance approval completed so he could be listed. At the time there was another kid same blood type, etc that was also trying to get listed. He was listed 1 day after Thomas and waited another 3 months past us.

I remember the hopsital telling us we are near Christmas/New Years so we should see some activity. That was a sobering feeling. I also remember looking at the averages and trying to figure out when it was likely to happen. They kept telling us it will happen when you are least expecting it. They were right 904 AM on a Sunday morning we got the call.

Needless to say we are very thankful and very blessed!

Tomcat98

 

[DblDoc]

This is a failure of Nevada Medicaid. They should have in place agreements with transplant centers in nearby states to treat their patients. I work at a transplant center in WA and we get patients from AK, WY, and MN - and not just privately insured.

Transplant centers are very expensive and they specialize in certain organ(s) so you usually have multiple centers to cover all the possible types of transplants. Like all complicated surgeries they require a certain volume in order for all involved to remain proficient. It therefore makes sense to have geographic centers to take care of a regions patient population without limitations by state lines.

DD