The Advisory Committee on Organ Transplantation (ACOT) met on May 19, 2019, on a conference call, and unanimously agreed on the following recommendations:
Recommendation 58
The ACOT recommends that the eligibility guidelines for the Reimbursement of Travel and Subsistence Expenses toward Living Organ Donation program be modified to increase the eligibility threshold for recipients, so that recipients are eligible if their yearly household income is not more than 500% of the current Federal Poverty Guidelines rather than 300% as currently required by the eligibility guidelines.
Recommendation 59
The ACOT recommends that the eligibility guidelines for the Reimbursement of Travel and Subsistence Expenses toward Living Organ Donation program be amended to waive income verification for donors with less than $500 of anticipated travel and subsistence expenses.
Recommendation 60
The ACOT recommends that the eligibility guidelines for the Reimbursement of Travel and Subsistence Expenses toward Living Organ Donation program be amended to allow support of travel and subsistence costs in the United States for living donors, whether non-directed or directed.
Recommendation 61
The ACOT recommends that HHS establish a permanent mechanism for lost wage reimbursement for non-directed living donors in conjunction with the travel and subsistence costs incurred by living organ donors.
Recommendation 62
The ACOT recommends that HHS amend the eligibility guidelines for the Reimbursement of Travel and Subsistence Expenses toward Living Organ Donation program to improve reimbursement so that it includes reimbursement for living donors’ childcare and elder care expenses in addition to travel and subsistence costs.
Recommendation 63
The ACOT recommends that HRSA programs that support living donors and transplant patients be required to inform patients about the Reimbursement of Travel and Subsistence Expenses toward Living Organ Donation program.
Recommendation 64
The ACOT recommends that HHS work to establish an interagency work group that links all U.S. agencies that work on transplantation that is charged to coordinate innovation in organ transplantation.
Recommendation 65
The ACOT recommends that CMS should revise hospital cost reporting requirements to credit hospitals for an organ donor if the deceased organ donor was consented for donation at the hospital and the procurement occurs off-site at their affiliated organ procurement organization.