
- Of the U.S. patients listed for a kidney transplant during 2004 to 2016, only 3,663 patients with VA insurance received a transplant compared to 141,523 with private insurance, 25,245 with Medicaid and 132,026 with Medicare.
- VA patients were 28 percent less likely to receive a transplant than those on private insurance at a national level. Furthermore, they were also 22 percent less likely to receive a transplant than those on private insurance who sought transplantation at a non-VA affiliate within the same location.
- VA patients experienced a higher mortality rate while waiting for a kidney transplant than those on private insurance at both the national and local levels.
- The study found that VA patients lived an average of 282 miles away compared to 23 miles for non-VA patients, making it nearly impossible to easily access a transplant center.