OPTN Fee Collection Authority Act

# OPTN Fee Collection Authority Act Summary **What the Bill Would Do:** This bill would allow the federal government's Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to directly collect fees from hospitals, organ procurement organizations, and other members of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). Currently, these registration fees are collected through a contractor. The bill would give HRSA this authority for three years and require them to publicly report how much money they collect from each organization and how the fees are spent. **Who It Affects:** The bill directly affects transplant hospitals, organ procurement organizations, and other institutions that are part of the national organ transplant system.

Indirectly, it may affect patients waiting for organ transplants, since the OPTN uses these fees to operate the system that manages the waiting list and coordinates transplants across the country. **Key Provisions and Status:** The bill requires transparency by mandating that HRSA post collection amounts and fee usage on the OPTN website. It also directs the Government Accountability Office (the federal government's audit agency) to review these fees and report back to Congress within two years. Currently, the bill is in committee and has not yet been voted on by the full Senate.