New York Employees Incentivized To Meet Organ Donation Goals

Employees For New York Agency Given Bonuses After Obtaining Organ Donation Goals, Raising Concerns Organs Are Being Harvested Improperly

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK (November 22, 2023) – Internal emails from LiveOnNY showed employees are being incentivized to hit goals for organs, new organ donors and musculoskeletal tissue donors.

New York City reporters are saying that this was part of the agency’s “employee incentive bonus program.” LiveOnNY is a non-profit which is contracted to obtain organs from deceased patients across New York state.

The organization is then reimbursed by Medicare, Medicaid and by private insurance providers. The emails said that employees must meet or exceed their stretch goals.

These goals included 1,300 organs transplanted, 450 organ donors and another 700 musculoskeletal tissue donors. Employees who meet their goals could expect to receive a maximum 5% bonus.

This incentive structure raises concerns that organs are being improperly harvested. Our law firm is representing one of the victims of illegal organ harvesting.

Any person that believes that their rights may have been violated through organ harvesting should contact our law office at (516) 908-9792.

Liability For New York Illegal Organ Harvesting

Organ donations and transplants are a critical part of the healthcare system. They are involved in saving many lives each year. However, a large number of organs are illegally harvested. According to The Exodus Road, “The organ trade, which includes illegal organ transplants, generates significant income, with conservative annual estimates between USD $840 million to USD $1.7 billion and 12,000 illegal transplants. About 10% of all transplants are believed to be illegal transplants.” There are many steps that should be taken to prevent illegal harvesting.

• State agencies should establish and enforce strict regulations for organ transplantation.
• Donors should be rigorously screened to ensure that all donations are obtained legally and ethically.
• Any misconduct with respect to organ donations or transplant should be thoroughly investigated.

People are free to choose to be organ donors. Family members can also volunteer to have their loved one’s organs donated. This is a very personal choice that each individual and family must make. What the government or a hospital cannot do is unilaterally decide to harvest the organs of a person that is deceased. This is yet another violation of a family’s right to sepulcher. When a company illegally harvests a person’s organs, this could form the basis of a civil claim. Evidence should be preserved after any case involving illegal organ harvesting.

• The companies involve in the purchase and sale of the illegally harvested organ should be known.
• Medical records related to the incident should be examined.
• Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
• An experienced personal injury attorney should be sought.

Companies that deal with organ donations are held to a high ethical standard. They must follow all state and federal regulations. It is against the law to harvest the organs of any person without their prior consent. Sadly, though, this happens much more than many people would realize. It is important that victims of this crime understand that they do have rights. They may be able to seek some measure of justice through a civil claim.

Getting Legal Help After Illegal Organ Harvesting

We at Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. extend our best wishes to all of the people who have been impacted by illegal organ harvesting. The reports coming out about LiveOnNY remain deeply disturbing. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what is going on. 

Have you been impacted by illegal organ harvesting in New York? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of personal injury attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that people are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or are thinking about hiring an attorney we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (516) 908-9792.