Willett Public Affairs: A Leader in Organ Donation Policy in New York State

Willett Public Affairs is proud to celebrate both the passage of the New York State Living Donor Support Act and NYS Department of Health’s recent adoption of regulations implementing this landmark program. New York’s Living Donor Support Act – the first in the nation – will provide direct financial reimbursement to New Yorkers who donate an organ.

The program offers up to $14,000 to help cover expenses not reimbursed by insurance, including evaluation, travel, lodging, lost wages, and post-operative follow-up. Enactment of this program makes New York a national leader in providing financial support to living organ donors, thereby increasing the supply of organs available for transplant, which in turn will save lives.

Willett was first retained in 2021 by Save Lives Now New York (SLNNY)/Waitlist Zero, an advocacy organization founded to end the shortage of kidneys available for transplant in the United States. Approximately 10,000 Americans die each year while waiting for an organ transplant; 5,000 die while on the waitlist and 5,000 will be removed due to the deterioration of their medical condition. In response to this crisis, SLNNY/Waitlist Zero was founded to champion policies that expand access to living kidney donation and reduce barriers for organ donors.

When SLNNY/Waitlist Zero prioritized passage of the Living Donor Support Act and chose New York as the first target state to implement this groundbreaking program, they turned to Willett Public Affairs to get the job done. In 2012, Willett Public Affairs President Perry Ochacher was instrumental in passing Lauren’s Law, another landmark act designed to increase organ donor registration opportunities. In passing the Living Donor Support Act, SLNNY/Waitlist Zero recognized Perry as an “amazing and tireless lobbyist” whose work was instrumental in getting this legislation across the finish line.

The Living Donor Support Act represents a major step forward for living donors and an important victory in the fight to increase life-saving organ transplants. Willett Public Affairs is honored to have played a key role in shaping yet another innovative public policy that will save lives and strengthen healthcare equity in New York State.