(a) Scope. This section provides for medical and non-medical care and services of persons who volunteer to donate a solid organ, part of a solid organ, or bone marrow for transplantation into an eligible veteran transplant candidate, irrespective of a donor's eligibility to receive VA health care for any reason other than to donate a solid organ, part of a solid organ, or bone marrow. It prescribes the type, timing, and duration of hospital care and medical services VA provides, including medical care or services purchased by agreement from a non-VA facility. It also provides for non-medical care and services essential to the prospective live donor's or live donor's participation and for VA reimbursement for that care and services. The section does not provide for eligible veteran transplant candidates' VA medical benefits.

(b) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

Initial prospective live donor means an intended recipient's prospective live donor who volunteers to donate a kidney to a recipient other than the intended recipient through kidney paired donation.

Intended recipient means the transplant candidate who VA identifies to receive a live donor's solid organ, part of a solid organ, or bone marrow.

Kidney paired donation means one prospective live donor's voluntary donation of a kidney for transplantation into a recipient other than an intended recipient, paired with the transplantation into the intended recipient of a compatible kidney from a different live donor. Note: For purposes of this section, kidney paired donation includes live donor chains.

Live donor means an individual who is:

(i) Medically suitable for donation;

(ii) Is a compatible match to an identified veteran transplant candidate; and

(iii) Has provided informed consent to undergo elective removal of one solid organ, part of a solid organ, or of bone marrow.

Live donor chain means a set of kidney paired donation matches that begins with a donation of a kidney from a live donor without an intended recipient. Such live donor donates a kidney for transplantation into the intended recipient of a prospective live donor. The prospective live donor then donates a kidney for transplantation into a recipient other than the intended recipient. A chain continues to allow donation and receipt of compatible kidneys.

Live Donor Follow-Up Means

(i) For live donors of a solid organ or part of a solid organ, the collection of clinically relevant post-donation live donor data and the provision of recommended clinical laboratory tests and evaluations consistent with Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network policy, and the provision of direct medical care required to address reasonably foreseeable donor health complications resulting directly from the donation procedure.

(ii) For live donors of bone marrow, the provision of direct medical care required to address reasonably foreseeable donor health complications resulting directly from the donation procedure.

Prospective live donor means a person who has volunteered to donate a solid organ, part of a solid organ, or bone marrow to an intended recipient, and who has agreed to participate in any activity VA deems necessary to carry out the intended recipient's transplant procedure.

Transplant candidate means an enrolled veteran or a veteran otherwise eligible for VA's medical benefits package who VA determines has a medical need for a solid organ, part of a solid organ, or bone marrow transplant.

Transplant recipient means a transplant candidate who has undergone transplantation and received a solid organ, part of a solid organ, or bone marrow from a live donor.

(c) Hospital care and medical services. To obtain a solid organ, part of a solid organ, or bone marrow for a VA transplant candidate, VA may provide the following hospital care and medical services to a prospective live donor or live donor:

(1) Before removal of a solid organ, part of a solid organ, or bone marrow, VA will provide examinations, tests, and studies necessary to qualify a prospective live donor to donate a solid organ, part of a solid organ, or bone marrow.

(2) During removal of a solid organ, part of a solid organ, or bone marrow, VA will provide the surgical procedure to remove a solid organ, part of a solid organ, or bone marrow from the living donor whose solid organ, part of a solid organ, or bone marrow will be transplanted into an intended recipient.

(3) After removal of a solid organ or part of a solid organ, VA will provide all hospital care, medical services, and other services which are necessary and appropriate to live donor follow-up as defined in paragraph (b) of this section for a period not less than that which the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network prescribes or recommends or for a period of 2 years, whichever is greater.

(4) After bone marrow removal, VA will provide direct medical care required to address reasonably foreseeable live donor health complications resulting directly from the bone marrow donation procedure for a period not greater than 2 years.

(5) A prospective live donor who is also a veteran enrolled in VA's health care system may receive care and services authorized in paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) only under this section. A live donor who is also a veteran enrolled in VA's health care system may opt to receive the care and services authorized under paragraph (c)(3) or (4) under either the medical benefits package codified at § 17.38 or under this section, but not both at the same time.

(d) Non-hospital care and non-medical services. If VA determines the prospective live donor's or the live donor's presence or proximity is necessary, VA will reimburse the travel costs of the prospective live donor or live donor, including one needed attendant or support person, at the rates provided in § 70.30 of this chapter, without the deductibles required by § 70.31 of this chapter, for:

(1) Travel between the prospective live donor's or live donor's residence and the site of hospital care or medical services authorized in paragraph (c) of this section; and

(2) Temporary lodging:

(i) While the live donor is hospitalized for the organ removal procedure; or

(ii) While the prospective live donor's or live donor's participation in the live donor program requires the prospective live donor's or live donor's presence away from home at least overnight and the prospective live donor's or live donor's presence or proximity is determined necessary by VA.

(e) Use of non-VA facilities and non-VA service providers. (1) If and only if VA and a non-VA facility or non-VA service provider have an agreement governed by 38 U.S.C. 8153 or any other applicable authority in title 38, United States Code, a non-VA facility may provide—

(i) A surgical procedure and care and services described in paragraph (c) of this section; or

(ii) Non-hospital care or non-medical services described and otherwise reimbursable under paragraph (d) of this section.

(2) The prospective live donor or live donor is eligible for hospital care and medical services, or travel services, at a non-VA facility solely for the procedure, care, and services described in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section as governed by an agreement described in paragraph (e)(1) of this section.

(f) Participation terminated without completion of the intended recipient's transplantation procedure. (1) VA will provide the prospective live donor or live donor the care and services described in this section for any VA-authorized participation in the intended recipient's organ or bone marrow transplantation process even if the transplantation procedure for which the prospective live donor or live donor volunteered to donate a solid organ, part of a solid organ, or bone marrow is not completed.

(2) A prospective live donor or a live donor may withdraw his or her informed consent at any time and for any reason. In the case of revocation of consent, VA will pay all the costs authorized under this section for the prospective live donor or live donor up until when the donor revokes consent and ends his or her participation.

(g) Limitation on VA obligation in kidney paired donations. In kidney paired donations, VA's obligation to provide any procedure, hospital care, or medical services under this section extends:

(1) To the initial prospective live donor who elects to participate in a kidney paired donation matching program, but only for the examinations, tests, and studies described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section for a prospective live donor before kidney removal.

(2) To the live donor whose kidney the intended recipient will receive or has received but only for the services described in paragraphs (c)(2) and (3) of this section.

[87 FR 33024, July 1, 2022]