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Insurance companies are continuing to look at funding for stem cell
transplants on a case by case basis. Several of my transplantees
(who I call my chicks) had their transplants paid for with legal
intervention. Nevertheless, insurance companies cannot ignore
that after a transplant, the coast of maintaining a progressive
disease is 80% LESS than before the procedure.
To say that this treatment was not without financial
consequences would be a major understatement.
Because the treatment is still considered experimental,
it is not covered by health insurance with any great
regularity I am very happy to say this is being worked on
by state representatives at the national level to make this
a thing of the past.
The fact that people who are willing to undergo clinical
trials, and are the very people who need the funding does
not budge the insurance companies. In the meantime,
there are things one can do to side step this problem.
There are foundations which can help you to raise the money.
One such company is National Foundation for Transplants 1102
Brookfield, Suite 200, Memphis, TN 38119. They are a very
kind, caring group who will walk you through the maze of
fund raising. You will need a committee to handle
the fund raising, as you cannot do it yourself: you will be
too busy with the transplant. Your friends will want something
to do, anyway. The Foundation will train your friends and
assist them in anyway they can. The IRS has required that
all monies raise for transplants be deposited in the State
(in which you live) Stem Cell and Bone Marrow Transplant fund.
The good part about this is that it becomes attractive to
corporations to donate to the "cause." As always a donation
to the fund is tax deductible.
There have been some changes in the way funding is accomplished
for transplants. Contact NFT for more information: www.transplants.org
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