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CMS Flawed Rule Impacts Your Community

The United States has the most successful and sophisticated organ donation and transplant system in the world, yet, federal lawmakers are working to open our nonprofit system to profit-seeking special interests.

“OPO performance should be measured by reliable data, including ventilated hospital deaths and organ yield measures, which are already in place. The CMS Final Rule uses death certificate data, which is unreliable because it does not identify potential organ donors. ”

Will Your OPO Be Shut Down?

Over 40% of the nation’s non-profit Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) will be shuttered in 2026 because the CMS Final Rule uses a flawed metric which will shut down high-performing OPOs. Patients will be the ones who suffer.

The Wrong OPOs Will Be Shut Down

SID&T’s collection of peer reviewed science highlights severe problems with the CMS Final Rule. There are two major issues. The CMS Final Rule:

  1. Is biased against large OPOs

  2. Is biased against multicultural populations

CMS has offered no guidelines for how to serve donors and patients when they shut down OPOs in entire swaths of the nation.

Bad Data Yields Bad Results

OPO performance should be measured by reliable data, including ventilated hospital deaths and organ yield measures, which are already in place. The CMS Final Rule uses death certificate data, which is unreliable because it does not identify potential organ donors.

Using the wrong data will produce the wrong results and puts the system at risk by shutting down high-performing OPOs.

Demand Congress Implements Real Reform

SID&T supports the federally mandated landmark study by NASEM, which will lead to significant improvements in the donation and transplant system. However, Congress and government bureaucrats have consistently ignored the NASEM Report.

Contact your elected official today and ask them to support the NASEM recommendations. Here is sample text:

The United States has the best organ donation and transplant system in the world. It needs to be nurtured by science and best practices, not destroyed by politics. The Congressionally mandated NASEM Report has real reform recommendations that will improve the system, protect donors and save the lives of patients waiting for a second chance at life. Please implement the NASEM recommendations.