Post-Transplant Lodging & Expenses
After leaving Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center following your organ transplant, you’ll attend a clinic in Sioux Falls two or more times a week for follow-up care. If you live outside the area, plan for at least two weeks of transportation and lodging.
Find Help Covering Expenses
Talk to the Avera transplant financial counselor or your transplant social worker to:
- See if your insurance covers mileage, meals and lodging
- Get a list of local hotels that offer discounts to people visiting Sioux Falls for medical reasons
- Learn about organizations that can help you raise funds for nonmedical expenses, including a living donor’s travel, food, child care and time off work
- Consider how family and friends might be able to help
Medicare Coverage
Explore your eligibility for Medicare coverage related to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and kidney transplant, learn how to sign up, and find out how Medicare works with your existing health insurance. If you have Medicare Part A and/or Medicare Part B, discover your options for prescription drug coverage through Medicare Part D.
Talk to your transplant social worker for help and more information, including details about subsidies for low-income patients.
Returning to Work: Vocational Rehabilitation
After a kidney transplant, you may no longer qualify for Social Security disability benefits because you don’t need dialysis anymore. Get help returning to work from vocational rehabilitation—available through the South Dakota Department of Human Services. This free program provides access to:
- Skill development
- Job placement services
- Counseling
- Personal support
To qualify for vocational rehabilitation, you must apply to and begin working with the program before losing disability status.
