Follow-Up Care when Out-of-State

[brenda]

I donated through Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC though I live in New Mexico because my recipient lives in DC.  My Donor Coordinator instructed me to follow up with my personal physician in New Mexico.  I had to push to get her to write a lab slip for my one month labs.  I contacted the University of New Mexico Transplant program prior to my surgery and I was told that they could not provide my follow up because the billing for my care would be linked to my recipient and all of her funding would go to Georgetown. It bugs me that I had to sign a form promising to get follow-up and now I am being told to do so on my own dime with a PCP who does not specialize in transplant/donation medicine. I really don't want my own insurance to start getting bills related to donation.  Can I bill my follow-up through to the Acquisition Fund even though I am seeing providers here?  Have any of you gotten your follow-up through a local center even though you donated elsewhere?

Thanks for your help,
Brenda (donated 5/17/2011)

[Scott337]

Brenda,

I donated through the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis Fairview Hospital/Clinic) last October.  I live about Two hours North along Lake Superior (Duluth, MN).  Although I am certainly not as far as you from your original site of surgery, I have been asked to do some follow-up with my primary family physician and labs.  I haven't much minded as the surgeons at the University have simply written orders for what they wanted and indicated a billing address at their facility so expenses for follow-up were still billed through the University Medical Center and the recipient's insurance.  This didn't seem to be an issue, in fact they were more than insistent on making certain the billings were handled appropriately.  I did my normal one month and 6 month checkups through the U of M though, as my surgeon wanted to see me.

Regarding the Acquisition Fund, I couldn't advise you there.  Sorry.

Scott  

[lawphi]

Honestly, the lab work can be performed anywhere and sent to GT for review. Your main concerns are your renal levels which will improve. All living donors only receive limited surgical follow up similar to having your gall bladder out.