ConnectLife Blog

An evaluation and competition system created by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) could lead to 42% of Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) being automatically decertified in 2026. This “throws the non-profit community based OPOs into a cutthroat, iterative Hunger-Games-style competition where only the top are guaranteed ‘organizational survival’,” according to a lawsuit.

Last week, Governor Kathy Hochul signed the HEART (Helping Equal Access to Registrations for Transplants) Act, repealing an outdated New York law prohibiting multi-listing at transplant centers in the state. The ban dated back to 1990. New York has long been the only state with such a restriction.

Shawn J. McMullen was a courageous and caring man who served his country as a soldier in the U.S. Army and worked to comfort and help others in his daily life. After his passing at the age of 26, Shawn's generosity continued through organ donation.