Sponsors (3)
The bill creates and expands pathways to reduce financial barriers for living organ donors and increases transparency and options for broader coverage, but it keeps a relatively low reimbursement cap, leaves funding and implementation uncertainty, and could increase costs for taxpayers.
Living organ donors — especially those with household incomes at or below 700% of the federal poverty guideline and Medicare beneficiaries if Medicare coverage is authorized — will face lower out-of-pocket costs because the bill creates a statutory reimbursement program (capped at $10,000 in FY2027) and pushes Congress to consider Medicare coverage for donor-related expenses.
The bill authorizes funding flexibility ("such sums as may be necessary" for FY2028–2037), which could allow the reimbursement program to scale up and serve more donors if Congress provides appropriations.
Hospitals, transplant centers, policymakers, and the public will gain better data and clearer options because the bill requires annual public reports (starting FY2027) and a GAO study with actionable options and timelines, improving transparency, oversight, and the potential for simpler billing pathways if Medicare coverage is adopted.
Many donors could still face substantial out-of-pocket costs and uncertainty because the statutory reimbursement cap (e.g., $10,000 in FY2027) may be lower than actual qualifying expenses and the Secretary can reduce the maximum in a fiscal year if grant funds are insufficient.
Taxpayers could see higher federal spending or increased Medicare costs/premiums if appropriations rise to match demand under the open-ended authorization or if Congress expands Medicare to cover donor reimbursements.
Donors could experience coverage gaps or delays: the GAO study and deliberative processes could postpone immediate relief, and shifting payment responsibility to Medicare risks transition-related gaps if statutory or administrative changes lag.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Expands living donor reimbursement eligibility to households ≤700% of poverty, sets a $10,000 per-donor cap (CPI-indexed from FY2027), authorizes funding FY2028–2037, requires annual reports, and orders a GAO Medicare study.
Introduced March 9, 2026 by Suzan K. Delbene · Last progress March 9, 2026
Expands the federal living organ donor reimbursement program by widening eligibility, raising the maximum per-donor reimbursement, authorizing multi-year funding, requiring annual public reporting, and directing a Government Accountability Office study on whether Medicare could assume these costs. Key program rules: donors in households with income at or below 700% of the HHS poverty guideline cannot be denied reimbursement eligibility; reimbursements are capped at the lesser of actual qualifying expenses or $10,000 per donor for FY2027 with future caps adjusted by the CPI-U; and the Secretary may temporarily lower the annual maximum if grant funds are insufficient with 30 days' notice to Congress.