09/03/2026

ASH Advocacy Leads to Introduction of House Bill to Enhance Access to Palliative Blood Transfusions

On July 15, Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI) introduced a House version of the Improving Access to Transfusion Care for Hospice Patients Act (H.R. 9703) to accompany the Senate bill (S. 1936) that was introduced in June 2026. This bill aims to increase access to palliative blood transfusions for patients receiving end-of-life care through the Medicare hospice benefit by establishing a demonstration program to provide a separate payment for blood transfusions in addition to the daily reimbursement rate for hospice care services. ASH strongly supports this legislation and a quote from ASH President Robert Negrin, MD was included in the press statement Representative Dingell issued upon the House bill’s introduction. 

The creation of innovative reimbursement models such as this is one of the recommendations of the ASH Statement in Support of Palliative Blood Transfusions in Hospice Setting. Members of the ASH Committees on Government Affairs and Practice advocated in support of the legislation – including seeking introduction of a House version of the bill – during their Hill Days earlier this year. ASH Committee on Practice member Jerome Winegarden, MD, met with Representative Dingell’s office during the Committee on Practice Hill Day in April and had a number of follow-up conversations with the Congresswoman and her staff after his initial meeting, leading to the introduction of the House bill in July.

Visit the ASH website to send an email to your senators and representative urging them to cosponsor the Improving Access to Transfusion Care for Hospice Patients Act.