Bill > S1782

This bill, named the Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act, aims to prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities in organ transplant processes. The legislation defines key terms such as "covered entity" (which includes healthcare providers and transplant hospitals), "qualified individual" (a person who meets organ transplant eligibility requirements with or without support), and establishes clear protections against disability-based discrimination in organ transplantation. Specifically, covered entities cannot refuse organ transplants, deny related services, refuse referrals, or exclude individuals from waiting lists solely based on their disability. The bill allows medical professionals to consider a disability only if it is medically significant to the transplant after an individualized evaluation, and it requires healthcare providers to make reasonable modifications to support networks and decision-making processes. Individuals who believe they have experienced discrimination can file claims with the Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights, and the bill does not replace existing disability rights protections under other laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act. The legislation emphasizes that support networks, auxiliary aids, and supported decision-making should be considered when evaluating a person's eligibility for an organ transplant, ensuring that individuals with disabilities have equal access to life-saving medical procedures.

Health and Social Services

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1782/all-info