The Knesset passed on its first reading a law by MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union) which grants an exemption from payment of health taxes and charges, for a period of time to be determined by the Health Ministry, to individuals who donate organs to others in need. According to Eldad, the measure is needed in order to help ensure that donors feel assured that their health needs will be taken care of.
The law on organ donations, passed last year, prevents payment for donors beyond the actual medical costs involved in the donations; that stipulation was written in to the law in order to prevent situations where individuals sell their organs for cash. But the law never intended to leave donors without medical care, said Eldad, and his law comes to ensure that donors' medical needs are attended to.