Many living organ donors today experience higher premiums or denial of insurance coverage based solely on their status as a donor. But hopefully not for long.

In February, the Living Donor Protection Act was introduced in Congress. This bill will protect living organ donors by prohibiting insurance companies from denying or limiting life, disability and long term care insurance to them, and from charging higher premiums. The bill also clarifies that living organ donors may use the Family and Medical Leave Act to recover from donation.

This is significant for me because my son, just 26 years old, received a kidney from a nonrelated living donor. This man saved my son’s life and he deserves these protections.   

There are more than 100,000 people waiting to receive a kidney transplant. In 2015, 17,878 kidney transplants were performed and 5,628 were from living donors. 

I hope U.S. Sens. Bob Casey Jr. and Pat Toomey and Reps. Keith Rothfus and Mike Kelly will join in co-sponsoring this important legislation.