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When you donate, do you ever think of the person that gets your blood and how high their hospital bill will be?
(lemmy.world)
this post was submitted on 18 Apr 2024
531 points (96.8% liked)
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That's a terrible reason. You would rather a patient in need not have blood available than be charged for it?
There is definitely price gouging in blood. But it also requires testing, transportation, and storage before it can be used. The money for all that has to come from somewhere (unfortunately in the US it's usually the patient).
I'm aware. But making the blood also costs calories food, time of donation exct. I get it's not free on their end, but they are not paying me either. I'm asking for them to return the exact same favor and do it for free for the person who needs it.
Right. You are righteously protesting. Right on. No joke or bullshit, I applaud conviction.
Of course, the bastards have made it so that the price of mass protest of this kind is the same folks protesting dying more often.
That's also no joke, or bullshit.
For every action there is an equal but opposite reaction, and if you stare at the abyss too long it stares back at you; same sentiment.
Same way you don't kid yourself about the goal, never kid yourself about the price and who pays it or you're no better than who you protest.
I'm sorry if this is news, and it is not your fault; let's head off that trite response.
But conviction often quantifiably costs blood, and it's poignant the theme is literal this time which is why I'm taking the chance to blab this much.
A warrior should know the weight of the sword they heft.
Do you get lab tests done or annual vaccinations? Because many components used in these products are also provided from processing blood donations. Blood donations are never wasted as everything gets used for something in healthcare. Check out the AABB site for more information. Blood donations are a true gift.
I didn't know that. Can you designate your blood for a given use?
I believe the only time it is designed like that is for autologous donations. That is where you donate specifically for yourself ahead of time for a procedure. This is really helpful for people with special blood needs or religious exemptions but it's not really done too often. The only other case I can think of off the top of my head is that new moms can have cord blood banked for personal future use or donate it to stem cell research.
That would probably depend on the country you're in.
They are not paying you? Even in Germany, where the patient doesn't pay, I get money. Granted it's "only" 20 Euros, regardless whether it's blood or plasma, but it's something. Plus I get to eat breakfast there for free.
That's awesome. Around here they just do a news campaign asking for blood. To my knowledge they don't offer any benefits compensation exct. They also sometimes go to corporate centers and ask for people to skip their lunch breaks to donate. It's really odd to me.
Your point is valid. As a counterpoint, when I donate (6-7 times a year) I get snacks and drinks during the donation, and a $5-10 gift card for a local fast food spot to fuel up later. I'm also very lucky that I can take most of my meetings using a headset, so I don't have to miss work, and the donation truck is at my office, so there's no travel time to or from my appointment.
I love when CHLA emails me to say they'll be downstairs in the coming week. I feel good about donating, and get free In-N-Out 😀
To my knowledge there is no offering here.
I guess I was trying to address the parts of your comment where donations cost calories and time. They certainly aren't paying me for my blood, but personally I feel like it's a fair exchange, and I get to feel good about doing someone I'll probably never meet a potentially life saving favor.
But where does the money come from? It sucks that in the US it has to come from the patient, but that's the world we live in right now. I think it's worth doing all the good you can with the tools available at the moment. Even if it's not perfect.
I'm just assuming you're in the US. Sorry if that's not the case and your country has a different situation.
The hospitals do make a profit elsewhere. The whole medical industry sucks. Giving a gift then charging the recipient does not sit well for me. I'm not saying don't donate blood.
Again it costs calories to make the blood, time, recovery, getting there. That's coming completely from me. I am just asking the same from them.
Fair enough. If that's the philosophy you want to live by, then who am I to say otherwise.
Personally, I'd rather help people the best I can in the world I live in.
You can’t pay for donations as that encourages risky behavior. People who shouldn’t donate will if they can make money.
I understand that.
Taxes?
Don't get me wrong, I think that's where the money should come from too. I just meant where else is the money going to come from in the current US healthcare system.
Unfortunately, we don't live in a country where that's the case right now. I think it is still a very good thing to donate blood, despite having for-profit/privatized healthcare.
Cracking down on for-profit organizations within the healthcare system would probably save an incredible amount of money.
fully agree, but honestly I think it would be easier to just leave the country then ever actually having that happen, it's too far against those in power's ideology, which is land of the free but not for thee/only for me
Yeah, maybe. Luckily I don't live there though.
I don't know which country you're from, but in the US, there is a very good reason they no longer pay people for blood donations. They used to. But, they found that having it be donation based plays on people's guilt, and they are far more likely to donate when they feel guilty or empathetic or like a hero or whatever emotion gets you up and out to the donation center.
On the other hand, when they pay you for it, people tend to ignore it, because the average person doesn't really need the money, and since it has become a business transaction, they don't have to feel guilty about not participating. Donation rates are much higher when the donors aren't paid. They don't lack funds; they lack donors, and this was a quick, easy solution to the problem.