Expanding Support for Living Donors Act of 2026

Bill Number

H.R. 7868

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Health

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-03-09: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Last Updated

2026-06-09T08:06:49Z

AI-Generated Summary

## Purpose The legislation amends the Public Health Service Act to expand financial support for living organ donors through the existing Living Organ Donation Reimbursement Program. Its main goal is to reduce financial barriers to living organ donation by adjusting income eligibility rules, increasing reimbursement limits, extending funding authorization, and improving program reporting.

## Key Provisions

• Income eligibility expansion: Grant recipients may not deny reimbursement based on income if a donor’s household income is at or below 700 percent of the federal poverty line.
• Reimbursement cap: The maximum reimbursement per donor is set at the lesser of actual qualifying expenses or $10,000 for fiscal year 2027, with annual adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers. The Secretary of Health and Human Services may lower this cap for a fiscal year if funds are insufficient, after providing at least 30 days’ written notice to Congress.
• Funding authorization: Replaces the prior fixed authorization of $5 million annually (for fiscal years 2005–2009) with “such sums as may be necessary” for fiscal years 2028 through 2037.
• Enhanced annual reporting: Requires a detailed public report to Congress each year beginning in fiscal year 2027, covering funding adequacy, program impacts, donor demographics, expense types, Medicare savings estimates, donation types, challenges, and barriers to donation.
• GAO study: Directs the Comptroller General to study within one year how the Medicare program could cover costs currently handled by the reimbursement program and to submit recommendations to Congress.

## Significant Changes to Existing Law The bill redesignates existing subsections of Section 377 and inserts two new subsections on income-based eligibility and reimbursement amounts. It broadens access by removing income caps below 700 percent of the poverty line and raises the per-donor limit from prior levels. It also replaces the outdated, time-limited funding authorization with open-ended authority through 2037 and substantially expands the scope and frequency of required program reporting.

## Potential Impacts

• Government agencies: Increases administrative and reporting burdens on the Department of Health and Human Services and grant recipients; may affect Medicare cost structures if the GAO recommendations lead to future changes.
• Citizens: Could enable more individuals with moderate household incomes to receive reimbursement for donation-related expenses, potentially increasing the pool of living organ donors.
• International relations: No direct effects identified in the legislation.

## Main Stakeholders Affected

• Living organ donors and their households.
• Organ transplant centers and nonprofit organizations that receive grants under the program.
• The Department of Health and Human Services.
• Medicare beneficiaries and the Medicare program (due to potential cost shifts identified in the GAO study).
• Congress (through expanded oversight via annual reports and funding decisions).

## Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill operates entirely within existing statutory authorities under the Public Health Service Act and does not alter constitutional powers or create new regulatory mandates. It includes explicit congressional notification requirements before any reduction in reimbursement caps, which may enhance legislative oversight. No provisions appear to raise federalism or separation-of-powers concerns.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1]

Cosponsors (3)

Rep. Miller, Carol D. [R-WV-1], Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8], Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large]

Recent Actions

• 2026-03-09: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2026-03-09: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2026-03-09: Introduced in House
• 2026-03-09: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Expanding Support for Living Donors Act of 2026 — issued 2026-03-09 — PDF (10 pages)