Blood donation has traditionally been promoted - and seen - as an altruistic or patriotic duty. Against a backdrop of war or disaster, this tradition has motivated many to give something essential to saving life, the only cost of which, to the donor,  is usually no more than a minor inconvenience or discomfort. 

But in the context of a fee-for-service, profit driven health care industry, Health Insurance companies should consider alternative valuation of blood and blood products. The Vitacred program proposed here would use blood donation as a credit toward health insurance premiums, college or trade school tuition or student loan repayment.  

Hospitals currently charge patients around  $2000 per pint for blood.  This of course includes the cost of personnel to collect, test and store the blood . The donors receive far less, typically a snack and a T-shirt . If the price for blood charged by hospitals were raised to $4500. per pint, then $2500. of this amount could be used to fund the health insurance premium and educational benefits of the Vitacred program  without cutting into hospital revenues or incurring a tax burden. 

In this way, hospitals and health insurance providers are assuming the increased cost of blood and then being reimbursed for it by an increase in fees and increased participants for health insurance, many of whom will be in the “invulnerable young” category. 

See the linked White Paper for more background and details