Bill > SR54

Introduced Session

This resolution respectfully urges the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Director of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to reconsider implementation of new rules revising the outcome measure requirements, and establishing procedures to decertify and create competitive bidding requirements, for organ procurement organizations (OPOs). OPOs perform a key role in the organ procurement and transplantation process, helping identify candidates for organ donation and providing support services to organ donors and their families. New rules adopted by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under the prior administration would change how OPOs are evaluated, and establish a process for decertifying OPOs that fail to meet certain performance metrics. The new rules would also require the majority of OPOs to engage in a competitive bidding process to maintain the designated service areas they serve, as well as for OPOs to compete for a designated service area that was served by a decertified OPO. It is anticipated that the changes that would be implemented under the new rules would be disruptive to organ procurement and transplantation systems, both in New Jersey and nationwide, likely resulting in reduced numbers of organ procurements and transplants. This, in turn, would adversely affect the lives of all patients on national organ transplant waiting lists, and in particular patients from racial and ethnic minorities, who already experience significant disparities in access to organ transplants. It is the sentiment of the Senate that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services should reconsider implementing the new rules adopted under the prior administration.

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Nick Scutari (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document