Contact Congress about H.R. 1520: Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act

If you have a disability and need an organ transplant, hospitals can no longer turn you away just because of that disability. Providers must evaluate you as an individual and offer reasonable support throughout the entire transplant process. You can file a federal complaint if a provider breaks these rules.

Modern Action shows what the legislation would change, helps you choose whether to support, oppose, or ask for changes, and drafts a message tied to the bill, your stance, and the elected officials who can act on it.

Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act is a Senate bill in committee. The latest recorded action: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Latest action on H.R. 1520: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Who this affects: This bill primarily protects people with physical or mental disabilities who need organ transplants. It also changes how hospitals, transplant centers, nursing facilities, and other health care providers make decisions about transplant candidates. Caregivers and support networks gain formal recognition in the transplant evaluation process.

Why this matters: Organ transplant decisions are literally life-or-death. When disability alone is used to deny someone a transplant, that person may lose their only chance at survival. This bill addresses documented cases where people with conditions like Down syndrome or intellectual disabilities were turned away from transplant programs without a real medical reason.

Key provisions in H.R. 1520

• The law covers hospitals, nursing facilities, transplant centers, psychiatric treatment facilities, facilities for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, prison health centers, and other licensed providers involved in interstate commerce.
• A "qualified individual" is someone who meets the medical requirements for an organ transplant, whether or not they need a support network, assistive aids, or policy adjustments to participate.
• The national organ transplant board cannot create rules or guidance that limits a qualified disabled person's access to transplants based on disability.
• Providers cannot deny eligibility, services, referrals, or waiting list spots for organ transplants just because someone has a disability.
• A provider may only factor in disability when a doctor, after reviewing the individual patient, determines the disability is medically relevant to the transplant or related care.

How Modern Action helps you take action on H.R. 1520

You do not have to start with a blank letter. Modern Action turns the bill, your position, and the relevant congressional context into a message you can edit and send. The goal is to make contacting Congress clear, specific, and useful without forcing you to parse bill text or figure out the right office on your own.

Questions people ask about H.R. 1520

What is H.R. 1520?

If you have a disability and need an organ transplant, hospitals can no longer turn you away just because of that disability. Providers must evaluate you as an individual and offer reasonable support throughout the entire transplant process. You can file a federal complaint if a provider breaks these rules.

How do I support or oppose H.R. 1520?

Choose support, oppose, or ask for changes on Modern Action. The action flow drafts the message for you and keeps the wording tied to this bill.

Who should I contact about H.R. 1520?

Modern Action uses your location to route the action to the congressional offices relevant to the bill and your representation.

How does Modern Action help me act on H.R. 1520?

Modern Action gives you bill-specific context, lets you choose support, opposition, or changes, and drafts a message from your position and reasons.