This bill requires hospitals that accept Medicare and Medicaid patients to automatically notify organ procurement agencies when a patient dies or is about to die. Right now, hospitals have to manually contact these agencies, which can cause delays in identifying potential organ donors. Under this new rule, hospitals would need to set up electronic systems that automatically alert organ procurement agencies and give them access to the patient's medical records when death occurs or is imminent. This change takes effect two years after the bill becomes law.

The bill recognizes that not all hospitals can implement this technology immediately. Rural hospitals without reliable internet access, hospitals dealing with cybersecurity attacks, and those affected by natural disasters can request a temporary exemption for up to three years. The government must report annually to Congress on how many exemptions are granted and why. The bill also requires the Department of Health and Human Services to provide guidance to hospitals and organ procurement agencies on how to implement these systems effectively, and to help state agencies explain the changes to donors and their families.

Within three years, the Government Accountability Office will study how well this system is working, looking at implementation costs, the challenges rural hospitals face, and whether the new process actually leads to more successful organ transplants. The goal is to streamline the process so fewer organs are lost due to communication delays, ultimately helping more people receive life-saving transplants.