HHS Decertifies Kentucky Organ Procurement Organization to Protect Patients, Restore Trust

LEXINGTON, KY— AUGUST 5, 2026— The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today began the decertification of Network for Hope, the federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) serving Kentucky and parts of Indiana, Ohio, and West Virginia, after multiple federal reviews found persistent patient safety failures despite extensive oversight and despite Network for Hope having been provided repeated opportunities to correct them. Those failures put prospective organ donors and patients awaiting lifesaving transplants at risk.

“Americans who choose to become organ donors deserve a system that honors their gift and protects every patient,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “Today’s action reflects the Trump Administration’s commitment to protecting the sanctity of life. Organizations that repeatedly fail to meet federal standards and put patients at risk will be held accountable.”

HHS’ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) decertification of the Network for Hope is part of Secretary Kennedy’s reform initiative announced in July 2025. Despite the Biden Administration’s awareness about the Network for Hope’s violation of patient safety, the organization was not held accountable during his administration.

In addition to CMS findings that are the basis of the decertification, between 2021 and 2024 HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) examined 351 cases where organ donation was authorized, but ultimately not completed at Network for Hope. It found:

• 103 cases (29.3%) showed concerning features, including 73 patients with neurological signs incompatible with organ donation.
• That some potential donors may not have been deceased at the time organ procurement was initiated — raising serious questions.
• Evidence pointed to poor neurologic assessments, lack of coordination with medical teams, questionable consent practices, and misclassification of causes of death, particularly in overdose cases.

In 2025, HRSA identified significant patient safety concerns involving Network for Hope and directed the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) to implement a comprehensive corrective action plan and a monitoring program.

At the same time, HRSA and CMS initiated independent federal reviews: HRSA to assess whether the organization had corrected the identified deficiencies and CMS to assess whether the organization continued to meet federal requirements including the minimum standards to be certified by Medicare.

HRSA and CMS independently determined that Network of Hope failed to demonstrate sufficient improvement leading to the Secretary’s decision to begin the CMS decertification process.

“HRSA, through its oversight of the OPTN, worked closely with Network of Hope over the past year through intensive monitoring and corrective action to address serious patient safety concerns,” said HRSA Administrator Tom Engels. “Despite those efforts, the organization did not demonstrate the improvements necessary to meet federal standards. When organizations entrusted with the care of potential organ donors fail to meet those standards, we have a responsibility to act. Our priority is protecting patients, honoring the generosity of donor families, and ensuring every donated organ has the greatest possible opportunity to save a life.”

CMS’s comprehensive review of Network for Hope in May 2026 determined that prior quality concerns continued to surface implicating important functions of the OPO such as donor evaluation, review of adverse events, and administration.

“Today’s action to begin the decertification process sends a clear message, not just to organ transplant organizations, but to every provider that participates in CMS programs: If you can’t be trusted to safeguard patients and be responsible stewards of American taxpayer dollars, we’ll find organizations that can,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz.

Today’s decertification is the latest effort to save lives and protect organ donors.

The Trump Administration’s reforms to restore integrity and trust in the organ donation and procurement process include:

• Safeguards that prevent line-skipping in organ allocation, already protecting nearly 300 patients.
• A special election that achieved record turnout to install an independent OPTN board.
• A strengthened misconduct reporting system, giving patients and providers a direct channel for safety concerns.
• A transparency tool that shows when organs are allocated outside the standard match list.
• Removal of "DEI" provisions from the 2024 IOTA model to ensure fairness.

Secretary Kennedy has also directed all OPOs to appoint an OPTN Patient Safety Officer to oversee patient safety. These officers will be responsible for monitoring and investigating patient safety events in real time, serving as the first point of contact for families, hospital partners, and HRSA, documenting and reporting incidents and adverse events to OPTN, leading root cause analyses, and ensuring corrective actions are implemented.

This reform will lead to safer, fairer, and more reliable organ procurement, while strengthening accountability and preventing repeat failures.