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Undocumented Immigrants Could Get Kidney Transplants Under New Bill

By Katie Honan | October 7, 2015 5:28pm
 State Sen. Jose Peralta's bill would allow undocumented immigrants to get kidney transplants.
State Sen. Jose Peralta's bill would allow undocumented immigrants to get kidney transplants.
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Sen. Peralta's Office

JACKSON HEIGHTS — Sen. Jose Peralta introduced a bill in time for a national donor day that would help sick undocumented New Yorkers receive kidney transplants.

Undocumented residents receiving treatment and dialysis are not currently eligible for kidney transplants, even though Medicare funds their treatments. 

Illinois is currently the only state that offers kidney transplants to undocumented immigrants through state funding, he said. 

“Morally, this is the right thing to do, and financially this is the right thing to do,” Peralta said, citing statistics from the Division of Nephrology of Elmhurst Hospital.

The study from the division found that Medicare typically spends $110,000 on a kidney transplant, but much less annually on the patient if it's successful.

By comparison, they spend an average of $72,000 annually for patients undergoing dialysis, which could last for years.

Peralta's bill was praised by Helen Irving, the president and CEO of LiveOnNY, which organized Tuesday's registry day.

“LiveOnNY commends Peralta’s efforts to advance organ donation and transplantation efforts that address the health needs of all state residents, including equal access to transplant services in order to save more lives,” she said.

At the event, Peralta also registered 25 people as organ donors — which helps boost the possible pool for the life-saving registry.

"When it comes to organ donation, New York is in a state of emergency," he said.