Under the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984 (NOTA), any individual convicted of buying or selling human organs faces a five-year prison sentence and/or a hefty fine. Since the language of the law explicitly states that it is a crime for an individual to "knowingly acquire, receive, or otherwise transfer" a human organ, it allows safe harbor for those who unknowingly receive an illegally procured organ.
But, while you may not profit from donating an organ, you may have some of your expenses related to the donation procedure reimbursed. For example, you may claim medical costs and missed pay following the donation of an organ. Different states calculate such payments differently, but anything considered to be unreasonable will not be reimbursed. Specifically, the law states, payment of "expenses of travel, housing, and lost wages incurred by the donor of a human organ in connection with the donation of the organ" is permitted.
How did David Crosby, a junkie go to the head of the line?