**GAO-08-412**                      Published: Apr 29, 2008. Publicly Released: May 19, 2008.                  

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## Highlights

Media reports in 2005 and 2006 highlighted serious problems at organ transplant programs, calling attention to possible deficits in federal oversight. Two agencies in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) oversee organ transplant programs: the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) oversees transplant programs that receive Medicare reimbursement, and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) oversees the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), which manages the nation's organ allocation system. GAO was asked to examine (1) federal oversight of transplant programs at the time the high-profile cases came to light in 2005 and 2006 and (2) changes that federal agencies have made or planned since then to strengthen oversight. GAO interviewed CMS, HRSA, and OPTN officials and reviewed agency documents and data and a CMS draft proposal for sharing information with HRSA.

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## Topics

Government Operations

Data collectionData integrityEvaluation criteriaHealth care policiesHealth care programsHealth care reformHealth care servicesHealth policyHealth services administrationInformation disclosureInformation managementMedical proceduresMedically necessary treatmentsMedicareNoncomplianceOrgan and tissue donationOrgan and tissue transplantationProgram evaluationProgram managementReporting requirementsStandardsStandards evaluationSurveysInformation sharing