Congress Investigates Malicious Organ Procurement and Patient Harm

Whistleblower Protection and Accountability

• 💡 Whistleblowers in the organ procurement industry need protection, and Congress is urged to demand that HHS fire any organ contractor found to have retaliated against them.
• ⚠️ Retaliation against whistleblowers and patient advocates, including attempts to silence them, is occurring and is unconscionable, especially when funded by taxpayer dollars.
• 🎯 HHS should immediately remove any contractor found to have engaged in retaliatory or silencing activities.

Crimes in Organ Procurement

• 🚨 The practices discussed, such as destabilizing patients through over-administration of comfort medications like fentanyl, are crimes currently under investigation by the Attorney General of Kentucky.
• 🌐 Claims of these abusive practices have been made by whistleblowers in multiple states, posing a danger not only to local residents but also to any American traveling through those areas.
• ⚖️ It is essential to share all relevant information with both federal and state law enforcement to ensure thorough investigation and prosecution.

Financial Mismanagement and Related Organizations

• 💰 Over half a billion dollars has been transferred to "related organizations" by organ procurement organizations (OPOs), raising concerns about the use of these funds.
• 🔍 The Office of Inspector General previously found an OPO misspent funds on non-essential items like football games and limousines.
• 💸 Millions of dollars have been moved to entities outside of Medicare's control, with over $700 million moved in recent years, and the purpose and benefit of these transfers are unclear.

Coercion in Consent for Organ Donation

• 🤝 Organ donation requires consent, but there are disturbing reports of coercion in obtaining it.
• 🗣️ Whistleblowers report that consent is aggressively pursued from families who appear to lack resources or language proficiency, while being less persistent with others.
• 🚫 Families are not consenting to their loved ones' organs being harvested as part of Medicare fraud or exploiting loopholes.

Call for Crisis-Level Action

• 🆘 The situation in organ procurement is described as a crisis requiring action similar to that taken to tackle the opioid epidemic.
• 📈 Resources are needed for the Department of Justice, FBI, and state attorneys general to address these issues effectively.
• ✅ Ensuring the safety of Americans in organ procurement processes is paramount.