Legislators introduce bill to offer tax benefits to non-directed kidney donors
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Key takeaways:
- Legislators have introduced a bill that would offer up to $50,000 in tax benefits to individuals who donate a kidney to someone in need.
- The donor would receive a $10,000 tax benefit each year for up to 5 years.
Legislators have introduced a bill that would provide up to $50,000 in tax benefits over 5 years to an individual who donates a non-directed kidney.
“I am proud to introduce this legislation with my colleagues, as there are hundreds of thousands of Americans waiting for life-saving organ transplants,” Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-NY, said in a press release. “Our legislation will save thousands of lives by offering an incentive for eligible donors to donate a healthy kidney to fellow Americans in need and reduce the lengthy and costly wait times for thousands of Americans on the kidney transplant list who are undergoing treatment.”
Malliotakis joined Reps. Don Bacon, R-Neb.; Josh Harder, D-Calif., and Joe Neguse, D-Colo., in introducing the End Kidney Deaths Act. The bipartisan legislation “would provide a refundable tax credit to altruistic living kidney donors ... specifically those waiting the longest on the kidney waitlist,” according to a press release from Malliotakis.
“Specifically, the End Kidney Deaths Act will provide a $10,000 refundable tax credit per year for 5 years ($50,000 total) to living donors who donate kidneys.
“If enacted, this legislation is expected to save up to 100,000 Americans currently on the waitlist and save taxpayers an estimated $10 billion to $37 billion,” according to the press release.
"Donating a kidney is a great self-sacrifice that individuals do without recognition," Bacon said. “This legislation will be the first step in saving American lives, money for taxpayers and decreasing the need for dialysis.”
According to the legislation, the donor “does not know (at the time of such removal) the identity of A) the individual into whom such kidney is to be transplanted, or B) any other individual into whom any organ will be transplanted in connection with the donation of such kidney.”
The legislation, if passed, would be effective Jan. 1, 2025, and has a sunset clause of Dec. 31, 2034. The legislation would also add language to the National Organ Transplant Act to clarify that the tax credit is not seen as a sale of kidney to another individual.
References:
End Kidney Deaths Act. Available at: https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3A94cf575e-d035-3a44-99a9-92428228cb4a&viewer%21megaVerb=group-discover. Published July 18, 2024. Accessed Aug. 12, 2024.
Malliotakis introduces bipartisan End Kidney Deaths Act. Available at: https://malliotakis.house.gov/media/press-releases/malliotakis-introduces-bipartisan-end-kidney-deaths-act. Posted Aug. 12, 2024. Accessed Aug. 15, 2024.
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