Federal Investigation Targets Fraud in U.S. Organ Transplant System

Authorities are probing organ procurement organizations for potentially defrauding the government and violating the False Claims Act.

Federal authorities are investigating several organ procurement organizations (OPOs) across at least five states for potentially defrauding the government.
The probe focuses on whether OPOs overbilled the Department of Veteran Affairs and Medicare, and arranged kickbacks between organizations.
Investigators have intensified their efforts, visiting the offices and homes of at least 10 chief executives of different OPOs.
The investigation could lead to a major overhaul of the organ transplant industry, which has been under scrutiny for systemic issues.
More than 100,000 Americans are currently on the national transplant waiting list, with 17 people dying each day while waiting for an organ.