There can be much more to this story than rich vs poor. From a quick glance at the end of 2024, Parkland had 56 patients on their transplant waiting list, and UT Southwestern had 224. but even that doesn't mean that UT Southwestern should be prioritized over Parkland. Transplant centers are not all considered equal to each other: volume, ability to handle more difficult cases, response times, etc. are taken into account.
In 2024, Parkland performed 38 transplants and UT SW 205. I believe this can be taken into account because there is an assumption that UT SW has more capabilities than Parkland.
Finally, I gather that the patient wait list is not simply first come-first serve. Time on the list is a factor but if UT SW has higher acuity cases, some of their patients could be prioritized over Parkland's.
To be clear, from a quick search, Parkland transplant center seems to be highly regarded. I'm not slamming them. (If any of this info is wrong, I hope someone corrects me. I'm only an google/chatgpt expert.)
EDIT: This story reminds me of the odd story out of Houston where the Memorial Hermann transplant doctor intentionally pushed some of his patients further down the transplant list, outside of the guidelines. I don't know if the why was ever fully understood by the public.