It is safe and easy to donate blood. If you are age 17 or over, you are eligible to donate blood. The Red Cross collects blood only from voluntary donors. The Red Cross charges hospitals a processing fee to cover the expenses of recruiting, collecting, testing, processing, and distributing blood and blood products. This fee is directly related to costs.
Hospitals pass the charge on to the patient whose health insurance plan usually covers the expense.
The blood itself is never charged for because it is a volunteer's free gift.