Plain English Breakdown
The official text specifies that insurers can act if there are 'actual, unique, and material actuarial risks,' but does not define what specific health conditions constitute these risks.
Living Donor Protection Amendment Act of 2025
This law stops insurance companies in Washington, D.C., from denying coverage or charging higher prices for life, disability, and long-term care policies based solely on a person's status as a living donor.
What This Bill Does
- Defines a 'living donor' as an individual who has donated all or part of an organ or tissue and is not deceased.
- Lists specific organs such as eyes, kidneys, livers, hearts, lungs, pancreases, esophagus, stomachs, intestines, and portions of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Defines 'tissue' to include skin, bone, bone marrow, heart valves, spermatozoa, ova, arteries, veins, tendons, ligaments, blood, blood derivatives, pituitary glands, fluid, or other parts designated by rule.
- Prohibits insurers from denying coverage based solely on an individual's status as a living donor without actual, unique, and material actuarial risks related to that status.
- Stops insurers from canceling policies for individuals who are living donors if the action is based solely on their donor status.
- Prevents insurance companies from refusing to issue policies or changing prices and terms for life, disability, or long-term care insurance based only on a person being a living donor.
Who It Names or Affects
- Individuals in the District of Columbia who have donated all or part of an organ or tissue while alive.
- Insurance companies selling life insurance, disability insurance, and long-term care insurance policies in the District of Columbia.
- New life, disability, and long-term care insurance policies delivered or issued for delivery after January 1, 2026.
Terms To Know
- Living donor
- An individual who has donated all or part of an organ or tissue and is not deceased.
- Organ
- A human eye, kidney, liver, heart, lung, pancreas, esophagus, stomach, small or large intestine, a portion of the gastrointestinal tract, or another part designated by rule.
- Tissue
- A portion of the human body other than an organ, including skin, bone, bone marrow, heart valve, spermatozoon, ova, artery, vein, tendon, ligament, blood, blood derivatives, pituitary gland, fluid, or another part designated by rule.
Limits and Unknowns
- The law only applies to life insurance, disability insurance, and long-term care insurance policies.
- These rules apply only to new policies delivered or issued for delivery after January 1, 2026.
- Insurers may still take action if there are actual, unique, and material actuarial risks related to the donor's health.