I could use some guidance on a pretty complex case

I am a heart transplant recipient (16 years post-Tx) and have been told I'll need another one within 3-5 years. I got the Tx at Duke and have been followed at VCU in Richmond, VA for the past few years. VCU has been working to get me listed all year, but have determined that I am not eligible to be listed by them due to very high antibodies (99% cPRA) added to the fact that I'll also need a kidney.

I am in the process of seeking a referral to Duke and Cedars-Sinai, which are more likely to accept my case, but I am not yet able to be seen/evaluated at any hospital outside the state of VA due to insurance restrictions (I have an HMO through the marketplace). It looks like I may have to wait until the new year to enroll in a PPO in order to qualify for out-of-state treatment.

What might be other options I could explore? I have heard writing a letter to UNOS might help. It has even been suggested that I enroll in 3+ credit hours in order to qualify for student health insurance (this seems farfetched, but I'm not ruling it out until I know for sure it won't work). Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks!

submitted by /u/hdoublephoto
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