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I wonder if there is a business model that can be built whereby transplant recipients buy insurance in order to pay out the cost of the flight by leveraging oth

by gist 11y ago

I wonder if there is a business model that can be built whereby transplant recipients buy insurance in order to pay out the cost of the flight by leveraging other recipients. (Spread out the cost in other words so let's call it insurance). So the idea would be in a pool of 500 recipients (arbitrary) you buy private jet time of "x miles" (an average) and/or pay out the jet time over time. Any particular purchaser would pay the average cost (not the cost for the longest jet) and also have the advantage of buying power. And you wouldn't need 500 hours (or whatever the hours you get the point) either is my guess (since some kidneys would be located within driving distance). What do you think (as a recipient?) of that idea? The advantage is if the jet time could cost anywhere from 0 to $10,000 (depending on multiple factors including not needing it) you pay $3000 as a hedge and are willing to take the loss if you don't need it (to help the group).

AndrewKemendo 11y ago
Even though it is life saving, there is more to it than just the transportation cost and believe it or not $3000 is often too much even for how important it is - people just can't afford that. See the youtube link above - you often have to prove that you can pay for anti-rejection drugs, local housing etc... after the procedure.
Mz 11y ago
Oh, wow. No. First, people who qualify for a transplant list and are not already wealthy probably cannot afford your insurance. I say this as someone who has a condition that accounts for a very high percentage of lung transplants and as someone who worked in insurance (and still writes insurance articles as a freelancer). Second, please put your creativity towards helping people avoid needing multiple transplant lists to begin with. I find this "we are Borg, resistance is futile" stuff really horrifying. I wish a LOT more effort went into helping people like me keep their own lungs healthy rather than into heroics like better transplant operations where the doctors get good press and high self esteem and high pay and the patient is covered in scars and on anti-rejection drugs for the rest of their life.
- gist 11y ago
  Well a few things: > and are not already wealthy probably cannot afford your insurance. A product or service doesn't have to have a market with either wealthy people or people who are penniless. There are people out there, I'm sure you are aware, that could spend several thousand for this which is not the same as having to spend $100,000 > please put your creativity towards helping people avoid needing multiple transplant lists to begin with This was just an idea that I was throwing out in a comment. It wasn't meant to imply that I planned to do the idea. It was something I thought of that I figured I would throw out there. Kind of like a request for comment. So saying "I wonder if there is a business model" is not the same as saying "I have an idea that I am thinking of pursuing or have been pursuing". I have other things which I spend my time on and I wasn't planning on spending any time on solutions to this particular problem. Just curious what others thought or thinking someone else might be interested in pursuing this. It's not my focus in business.
  - Mz 11y ago
    You edited it to leave out my qualifier about people who qualify for a transplant list. In most cases, you are talking a serious and somewhat drawn out health crisis. If they weren't rich before it started, they are very likely dirt poor now. Health insurance in the U.S. is all kinds of messed up to begin with. Also, if you want to defend your remark with "just tossing out ideas", hey, that's a two way street. Anyone reading your remark and thinking it sounds like a good idea is also being told by me "I am someone with a vested interested and informed opinion. If you want to help people like me, do something else. Don't do this."
    - gist 11y ago
      I never said that I wanted to help people. I had a business idea that I was curious about, that is all. And I was (once again) posting a comment on HN and throwing it out there to see what people (including you) thought. Honestly I know nothing about this at all. Sorry if I offended you in some way was not my intention (obviously). > thinking it sounds like a good idea is also being told by me "I am someone with a vested interested and informed opinion. If you want to help people like me, do something else. Don't do this." I would hope that someone who might be inclined to think that the idea (with modifications) might have merit would research a bit and not rely on 1 comment (or 10) on hacker news. [1] [1] (Remembering the famous "why does anyone need dropbox when they can use rsync" of a few years ago...)
pcurve 11y ago
I feel that everybody should just be on as many lists as possible be default, and the cost of jet / air transportation would be covered by government or insurance. With transplant cost and post op care costing well into 6 figure, a $2 - $10 grand in charter jet cost should just be absorbed.
- eru 11y ago
  That is an honourable goal. I wonder whether it would be the best bang for buck in terms of quality adjusted life years gained per dollar spent?
pkaye 11y ago
While researching kidney transplant, I found out that there are companies that will already lease private jet time for such purposes. But as others have mentioned, there are other costs involved. You need to travel to each transplant center to get evaluated. You may end up going to the transplant center and the procedure is called off for a variety of reasons. After the transplant, you will need to stay for 1-4 weeks depending on complications. The doctors will want to see you multiple times over the next few months. A lot of these expenses will not be covered by insurance.

by gist 11y ago

AndrewKemendo 11y ago

Even though it is life saving, there is more to it than just the transportation cost and believe it or not $3000 is often too much even for how important it is - people just can't afford that. See the youtube link above - you often have to prove that you can pay for anti-rejection drugs, local housing etc... after the procedure.

Mz 11y ago

Oh, wow. No. First, people who qualify for a transplant list and are not already wealthy probably cannot afford your insurance. I say this as someone who has a condition that accounts for a very high percentage of lung transplants and as someone who worked in insurance (and still writes insurance articles as a freelancer). Second, please put your creativity towards helping people avoid needing multiple transplant lists to begin with. I find this "we are Borg, resistance is futile" stuff really horrifying. I wish a LOT more effort went into helping people like me keep their own lungs healthy rather than into heroics like better transplant operations where the doctors get good press and high self esteem and high pay and the patient is covered in scars and on anti-rejection drugs for the rest of their life.

gist 11y ago
Well a few things: > and are not already wealthy probably cannot afford your insurance. A product or service doesn't have to have a market with either wealthy people or people who are penniless. There are people out there, I'm sure you are aware, that could spend several thousand for this which is not the same as having to spend $100,000 > please put your creativity towards helping people avoid needing multiple transplant lists to begin with This was just an idea that I was throwing out in a comment. It wasn't meant to imply that I planned to do the idea. It was something I thought of that I figured I would throw out there. Kind of like a request for comment. So saying "I wonder if there is a business model" is not the same as saying "I have an idea that I am thinking of pursuing or have been pursuing". I have other things which I spend my time on and I wasn't planning on spending any time on solutions to this particular problem. Just curious what others thought or thinking someone else might be interested in pursuing this. It's not my focus in business.
- Mz 11y ago
  You edited it to leave out my qualifier about people who qualify for a transplant list. In most cases, you are talking a serious and somewhat drawn out health crisis. If they weren't rich before it started, they are very likely dirt poor now. Health insurance in the U.S. is all kinds of messed up to begin with. Also, if you want to defend your remark with "just tossing out ideas", hey, that's a two way street. Anyone reading your remark and thinking it sounds like a good idea is also being told by me "I am someone with a vested interested and informed opinion. If you want to help people like me, do something else. Don't do this."
  - gist 11y ago
    I never said that I wanted to help people. I had a business idea that I was curious about, that is all. And I was (once again) posting a comment on HN and throwing it out there to see what people (including you) thought. Honestly I know nothing about this at all. Sorry if I offended you in some way was not my intention (obviously). > thinking it sounds like a good idea is also being told by me "I am someone with a vested interested and informed opinion. If you want to help people like me, do something else. Don't do this." I would hope that someone who might be inclined to think that the idea (with modifications) might have merit would research a bit and not rely on 1 comment (or 10) on hacker news. [1] [1] (Remembering the famous "why does anyone need dropbox when they can use rsync" of a few years ago...)

pcurve 11y ago

I feel that everybody should just be on as many lists as possible be default, and the cost of jet / air transportation would be covered by government or insurance. With transplant cost and post op care costing well into 6 figure, a $2 - $10 grand in charter jet cost should just be absorbed.

eru 11y ago
That is an honourable goal. I wonder whether it would be the best bang for buck in terms of quality adjusted life years gained per dollar spent?

pkaye 11y ago

While researching kidney transplant, I found out that there are companies that will already lease private jet time for such purposes. But as others have mentioned, there are other costs involved. You need to travel to each transplant center to get evaluated. You may end up going to the transplant center and the procedure is called off for a variety of reasons. After the transplant, you will need to stay for 1-4 weeks depending on complications. The doctors will want to see you multiple times over the next few months. A lot of these expenses will not be covered by insurance.