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ORGAN DONATIONS

Tax Deductions for Live Donors

Oklahoma is now providing tax deductions to live organ donors as part of a 130-page omnibus bill recently signed into law. The law provides for a one-time $10,000 state income tax deduction for unreimbursed costs associated with the donation of all or part of a liver, pancreas, kidney, intestine, lung or bone marrow. The bill also directs the Oklahoma Tax Commission to develop rules as to what expenses will qualify for the deduction. This makes Oklahoma the 13^th state to adopt a form of tax deduction for organ donations, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. Federal law still prohibits actual payment for organs.

Opt-In to Opt-Out

Meanwhile, the Delaware General Assembly is considering a controversial bill (H.B. 302) that would radically overhaul the state’s organ donation policies. Currently, people who want to become organ donors can opt into the system by indicating so on their drivers’ licenses. The bill would automatically designate people as donors unless they sign an opt-out statement. Studies show that about 90 percent of people agree with organ donation, but only about 40 percent of Delaware drivers have opted-in on their licenses, said bill sponsor Representative Peter Schwartzkopf, who donated a kidney to a friend. Many European nations have opt-out systems, and Spain, whose donation law closely resembles H.B. 302, has the world’s highest organ donation rate with only 2 percent of the population opting out. Currently, 74,488 Americans are waiting for a donated kidney.

QUALITY

State Ratings

The Agency for Health Research and Quality has just released the 2007 "State Snapshot," which provides state-by-state information on states’ performance in health-care quality, progress in meeting many of the Healthy People 2010 goals, and states’ performance on service recommendations by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice. To view this year's State Snapshot, go to  http://statesnapshots.s-3.com/snaps07/index.jsp.