HEART Act Expands Access to Lifesaving Organ Transplants in New York

Thousands of New Yorkers waiting for an organ transplant now have a greater chance at receiving a lifesaving match thanks to new legislation signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul. The Helping Equal Access to Registration for Transplants (HEART) Act (S.7151-A), which takes effect immediately, repeals the state’s prohibition on patients enrolling with multiple transplant programs.

Previously, patients were restricted to joining a single transplant center’s waiting list - a limitation that often reduced their odds of finding a suitable donor organ. With the HEART Act now in place, New Yorkers can register with multiple programs, significantly improving their access to potential matches.

According to Donate Life New York State, the new law could reduce mortality rates among those waiting for transplants by as much as 20 percent.

A driving force behind this historic change was Dr. Liise Kayler, transplant surgeon and passionate advocate for equity in organ transplantation. Dr. Kayler first raised awareness of the issue during a statewide meeting of all New York transplant centers, where she spoke about the unfairness of the state’s ban preventing patients from registering with multiple centers. She highlighted how the policy created a disparity- patients with private insurance could travel out of state and join additional waitlists, while those on Medicaid could not. Her advocacy caught the attention of Aisha Tator, Executive Director of Donate Life New York State, and together they partnered with Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes to craft and champion the HEART Act. After meeting with lawmakers in Albany, the bill passed both chambers of the legislature and went on to the desk of Governor Kathy Hochul to be officially signed into law.

For Assembly Majority Leader Peoples-Stokes, the cause was also deeply personal, her late daughter was a transplant recipient.

“The thousands of New Yorkers in need of a life-saving organ transplant deserve every opportunity to find a match,” said Peoples-Stokes. “The HEART Act will reduce wait times, establish a more just and equitable transplant system, and make it easier to save the lives of our family members, friends, and neighbors.”

The need for donors remains urgent. In 2021 alone, approximately 450 New Yorkers died waiting for a transplant, and the state continues to rank third highest in the nation for organ donor need.

With the HEART Act now law, advocates, physicians, and families alike are hopeful that more lives will be saved through greater access, fairness, and opportunity in New York’s organ transplant system.