Sponsors (2)
The bill strengthens funding stability and public data transparency for the transplant network, improving patient information and OPTN operations, while imposing possible higher costs on member hospitals and creating budget-visibility and funding-timing trade-offs for federal support.
Hospitals and transplant centers receive clearer, dedicated funding through registration fees to support OPTN operations, improving network stability and continuity of transplant services.
Transplant patients gain access to more timely public data if the OPTN creates a dashboard updated more often than annually, helping patients and clinicians make better-informed decisions.
Taxpayers and providers benefit from increased public transparency because HHS must post amounts collected from each member and list supported activities, updated quarterly.
Hospitals and OPTN members could face higher administrative and per-candidate costs if fees are charged per listed transplant candidate, raising operational expenses for providers.
Distribution of collected fees to awardees depends on future appropriations, so intended operational support for awardees may be delayed, reduced, or uncertain.
Fees credited as offsetting collections could reduce the apparent size of HHS discretionary appropriations, complicating federal budget transparency and oversight.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires OPTN to consider a more-frequent transplant statistics dashboard and lets HHS collect member registration fees per candidate to fund OPTN operations with public disclosure and GAO review.
Introduced September 10, 2025 by Jim Costa · Last progress September 10, 2025
Amends the Public Health Service Act to make minor edits to OPTN duties, require consideration of a transplant statistics dashboard updated more frequently than annually, and authorize the HHS Secretary to collect registration fees from OPTN members for each transplant candidate placed on the waiting list to support OPTN operations. The measure requires public, quarterly disclosure of fees collected and activities funded, and directs the Comptroller General to review OPTN-funded activities and report to relevant congressional committees within two years.