New Liver Transplant Rules: Winners and Losers in the Quest for Equitable Healthcare

New liver transplant rules have had a profound impact on the number of lifesaving surgeries performed in the United States. The new system called the “acuity circles” policy was implemented in 2020 to prioritize the sickest patients on waitlists, regardless of where they lived. While the policy has succeeded in its goal, it has also created winners and losers. Patients in New York, California, and more than a dozen other states have benefited at the expense of mostly poorer states with higher death rates from liver disease.

A data analysis by The Washington Post and The Markup found that the policy has led to sharp declines in lifesaving surgeries in Puerto Rico and seven states, all but one of which are in the South and Midwest. These include Alabama, Louisiana, Kansas, North Carolina, South Dakota, Iowa, and Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, New York and California have seen their highest numbers of liver transplants in more than a decade, with 603 and 959 surgeries, respectively.

The new system has nearly doubled the median distance livers are transported, increased transport costs, and coincided with the highest number of wasted livers in nearly a decade, with 949 wasted livers in 2021. Furthermore, the number of states sending donated livers beyond their own borders has significantly increased from 21 states and territories in 2019 to 42 in 2021.

Critics have warned that the new policy would reduce the number of surgeries and increase deaths in areas that already lagged behind the nation overall in health-care access. They argue that the policy rewards wealthy areas and wealthy states by providing resources from poor areas of the country.

Congress is currently investigating the contractor that has overseen the nation’s organ donation system for the federal government for nearly four decades, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). Lawmakers are probing whether it and several of the 56 “organ procurement organizations” that it oversees are effectively carrying out their duties, including collecting enough organs for transplant, among other issues.

UNOS has defended the changes as better allocating scarce resources to serve the sickest people on the transplant list in compliance with federal regulations. The organization has acknowledged that donated livers are now being transported twice as far on average, but has also pointed out that fewer people are dying on the waitlist overall nationally.

Liver distribution decisions are contentious because every year, more than 1,700 adults on average die or get so sick they are no longer viable candidates for a transplant. The policy has made it more challenging for some patients to receive lifesaving surgeries, leading to a reduction in transplants in 19 states and Puerto Rico and an increase in 12 states and Washington, D.C.

As advocates for sustainable healthcare, it’s essential to recognize that every wasted organ represents a missed opportunity to save a life. We must ensure that all Americans have access to lifesaving surgeries, regardless of where they live or their ability to pay for healthcare. We can do this by supporting organizations that work to increase organ donations and advocating for more equitable healthcare policies that prioritize the needs of all patients, regardless of their geographic location. Let’s work together to ensure that all Americans have access to the lifesaving surgeries they need.

Related Content:

• TikTok Tip: Flush Out Your Liver With this Morning Detox Ritual! [Video]
• How to Detox Your Liver the Natural Way: A 5-Step Guide
• 15 Detoxing Plant-Based Recipes Good for Your Liver and Kidney
• 10 Plant-Based Foods to Cleanse and Care For Your Liver
• Microplastics Are Disrupting Metabolism of Lung and Liver Cells, New Study Finds

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!