H.R. 7581: Living Organ Volunteer Engagement Act

This bill, known as the Living Organ Volunteer Engagement Act or the LOVE Act, proposes to create a program under Medicare that would support the training of facilitators for living kidney donations. Here’s a breakdown of what the bill outlines:

Establishment of a Demonstration Program

The bill mandates the Secretary of Health and Human Services to initiate an 8-year demonstration program. This program is designed to:

• Reimburse eligible hospitals for the reasonable costs associated with operating a training program for facilitators who assist living kidney donors.
• Implement within 180 days of the bill's enactment.

Eligibility Requirements for Hospitals

To participate in this program, a hospital must meet the following criteria:

• It must be a facility where kidney transplants are performed.

Facilitator Training Program

The facilities involved will conduct a training program aimed at enabling facilitators to:

• Help individuals with end-stage renal disease identify potential living kidney donors.
• Guide individuals through the kidney donation process.

Reporting and Oversight

The Secretary is required to provide various reports throughout the demonstration program, detailing:

• Any increase in living kidney donors compared to the previous five years.
• Trends in transplants conducted using kidneys from living donors.
• Outcomes for kidney transplant recipients.
• Cost savings for the Medicare program resulting from increased transplants and reduced dialysis services.
• Qualitative data based on interviews with program participants, facilitators, living donors, and transplant recipients.

Additional Provisions

The Secretary of Health and Human Services is also given the authority to waive certain provisions necessary to implement the program effectively.

Definitions

Within the context of the bill, a "facilitator" is defined as someone who has undergone the specified training related to living kidney donations.

Relevant Companies

None found.