No free organ transplants, operations for Israeli citizens in US hospitals | Fact check
The claim: Israeli citizens are 'fast-tracked' to top of US organ donation list and get free operation
A Feb. 28 Instagram video (direct link, archive link) shows a woman in scrubs talking about people coming to the U.S. to "receive our organs."
Another woman then says Israeli citizens are being flown to the U.S. and operated on for free.
"WATCH: Israelis are fast-tracked to the top of the U.S. ORGAN DONATION list, and they get the entire operation for FREE," the post's caption reads. "Again, American taxpayers are paying for Israelis to come to the US, skip to the top of organ donation list, steal American organs and have American doctors perform the transplants. Reconsider becoming an organ donor."
The post garnered more than 100 likes in a week. Other versions of the claim were shared on Facebook and X, formerly Twitter.
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Our rating: False
Organ allocation is based on medical and biological factors, not ethnicity, according to experts. Israelis and other foreign nationals may only qualify for discounted health insurance, such as Medicaid, in the U.S., not free operations.
Israelis not fast-tracked for organ transplants
Anne Paschke, a spokesperson for the United Network for Organ Sharing, told USA TODAY that organs are allocated based on "medical urgency, biological matching between donors and recipients, waiting time and other medical and logistical factors," not "social factors." The network manages the national transplant waiting list in the U.S.
The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network's website likewise specifies that factors such as ethnicity and citizenship are not considered when planning a transplant.
"The only way any patient can be added to the transplant waiting list in the United States is to be evaluated and added by a transplant hospital in the United States or Puerto Rico," Paschke said in an email.
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She told USA TODAY that only 198 of the 46,600 U.S. organ transplants last year went to recipients from other countries, with 30 of those going to recipients from Israel.
Paschke also directed USA TODAY to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network policy book, which says, "members may not enter into contracts with foreign agencies or governments for the transplant of non-US residents/non-US citizens."
No free healthcare for Israeli immigrants
The woman's claim that Israelis are receiving operations for free in America is also false.
Data provided by Paschke shows operations for foreign recipients last year were primarily paid for by foreign governments, private insurance and the patients themselves. Only one recipient received free care, according to the spreadsheet.
Alex Chan, an assistant professor of business administration at the Harvard Business School with extensive experience in the healthcare industry, agreed that the video's claim appeared illegitimate and also wouldn't make sense given the care available in Israel.
"Israel has a set of robust transplant centers," Chan said about the woman's claim that U.S. hospitals are "better" than those in Israel. "In many centers in Israel, the quality of transplants is arguably better than a bunch of centers in the U.S."
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HealthCare.gov states on its website that "lawfully present immigrants," such as those with valid non-immigrant visas or those who are in the U.S. due to humanitarian circumstances, can qualify for Marketplace coverage and lower healthcare costs depending on their income. Meanwhile, "Qualified non-citizens," such as asylees and refugees, may sign up for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program as long as they meet state income and residency rules.
Neither group receives free healthcare.
USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Lead Stories and AFP also debunked the claim.
Our fact-check sources:
Alex Chan, March 4, Email exchange with USA TODAY
Anne Paschke, March 4, Email exchange with USA TODAY
United Network for Organ Sharing, accessed March 4, How we match organs
Organ Procurement and Transplant Network, March 4, Transplant : Recipient Citizenship by Recipient Primary Source of Payment
Organ Procurement and Transplant Network, accessed March 6, Donor matching system
Organ Procurement and Transplant Network, Feb. 13, OPTN Policies Effective as of January 10, 2024
Health Resources and Services Administration, February, Organ Donation FAQ
HealthCare.gov, accessed March 6, Coverage for lawfully present immigrants
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Israelis not 'fast-tracked' on US organ transplant list | Fact check