Wyden Statement on Reforms to Organ Donation and Procurement Standards

Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued a statement after the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a final rule to reform the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Organ Procurement Organizations (OPO) Conditions for Coverage to increase accountability and improve performance:

“Today’s announcement marks an important shift towards increasing accountability and putting patient interests first,” Wyden said. “Too many families have lost loved ones because the organ procurement system has fallen short, and it’s high time to stop the same failures from repeating. I’ll be watching closely to ensure this key piece of our health care system gets on the right track.”

The final rule comes as the Finance Committee continues bipartisan work to investigate the organ donation, procurement and transplantation system and the oversight procedures used by the federal government and contractors to hold OPOs accountable. Last month, Wyden joined Chairman Grassley and Senators Young and Cardin to send a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar seeking information on how CMS conducts its oversight. In February of 2020, this group sent a letter to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) requesting information on its role in overseeing OPOs.

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