How much does a liver transplant cost? Coverage and financial help
Key Highlights
- Other help: Nonprofits like the HealthWell Foundation and PAN Foundation, provider payment plans, and crowdfunding.
- Average cost: About $1,017,800 in billed charges, according to a 2025 Milliman report. Billed charges are rarely what patients or insurers actually pay.
- Biggest expense: Hospital and surgeon fees, about $612,700. Organ procurement, pre-transplant care, and post-transplant care and medications make up the rest.
- Your cost will vary: Location, surgeon, medical center, and your overall health all play a part.
- Hidden costs: Lost income, travel and lodging, caregiver and living donor expenses, and counseling.
- Insurance: Coverage varies by plan, and few plans cover everything. Check with your insurer.
- Medicare: Part A generally covers finding an organ and transplant services. Part B covers doctors’ services, with 20 percent coinsurance after the deductible. The transplant must be at a Medicare-approved facility.
- Medicaid: Coverage rules vary by state.
For those diagnosed with end-stage liver disease, liver transplantation can provide you with hope and improve your quality of life. However, this life-saving organ donation can come at a significant cost.
If you or a loved one is looking for a liver transplant, understanding the true costs is crucial to having a more complete picture of care. In this article, we’ll take a look at the costs of a liver transplant as well as some ways to receive financial support and navigate the cost of care.
What is a liver transplant?
A liver transplant is a surgical procedure that removes a patient’s diseased liver and replaces it with a healthy one. This donor liver most often comes from a recently deceased donor who has chosen to be an organ donor.
In some cases, a living donor liver transplant may be performed, in which a person donates a portion of their liver, which grows back over time.
What conditions can lead to a liver transplant?
There are a few main conditions that can lead to needing a liver transplant:
- Chronic liver disease: Also known as cirrhosis, this is a long-term liver disease that occurs as a result of scar tissue replacing healthy liver tissue, stopping the liver from functioning properly. Long-term heavy alcohol use, viral infections (such as hepatitis B or hepatitis C), autoimmune diseases, or genetic disorders can all cause chronic liver failure.
- Acute liver failure: A sudden and severe impairment of liver function. Drug overdose, viral infections, autoimmune diseases, or other factors can cause acute liver failure.
- Liver cancer: Growth of cancer cells within your liver. Cancerous cells may develop directly within your liver or may develop elsewhere and spread to your liver.
What are the costs of a liver transplant?
Liver transplantation can be costly, with a 2025 Milliman report finding that the average billed cost for a liver transplant was $1,017,800.
Keep in mind that billed charges are unlikely to equal what patients or insurers actually pay, so your own costs may look different.
This number includes many aspects of liver transplantation care, including:
- Pre-transplant medical care: Any consultations, blood tests, transplant evaluation, or care needed to prepare transplant patients for the liver transplant procedure. Milliman estimated about $60,600 for the 30 days before transplant.
- Organ procurement: The cost of getting a new liver, which can cover retrieval and transportation fees. Milliman estimated about $175,500. A 2021 study in JAMA Surgery found that total fees for a single donor liver could top $75,000 when the liver came from outside the transplant center’s region.
- Hospital and transplant surgeon costs: The largest expense for a liver transplant is the total hospital stay charges and the transplant surgeon’s fees. Combined, Milliman estimated these at about $612,700, including $552,100 for the hospital and $60,600 for physicians.
- Post-transplant care: These follow-up care costs after surgery can include checkups with your transplant team, social worker, hepatologist, medications, additional laboratory tests, and any additional post-transplant medical care. Milliman estimated about $141,500 for the 180 days after discharge, plus about $27,500 for immunosuppressants and other drugs.
What affects the cost of a liver transplant?
Of course, the actual costs of care for a liver transplant can vary widely depending on several factors, including geographic location, surgeon, and medical center fees. For those in urban areas with more access to care, costs may be lower than those who live in rural areas with fewer options.
A patient’s overall health can also affect total costs, as some patients may require additional pre-surgery care to prepare for a liver transplant while on the transplant waiting list. And, who performs the surgery and where they perform the surgery can also significantly affect the total cost.
The hidden costs of a liver transplant
It’s also important to consider the unseen costs associated with receiving a liver transplant. Here are some hidden costs that you should keep in mind:
- Lost income: Before surgery and during the months-long recovery period, you or your caregiver(s) may not be able to work. Therefore, consider the cost of lost income if you or a loved one cannot work.
- Travel and lodging expenses: If you live far from the transplant center or your doctors, you may also incur travel and lodging expenses. Depending on your specific surgery, this could be multiple trips each month.
- Caregiver expenses: During recovery, you’ll need a caregiver to help you perform many activities of daily living (ADLs). These caregiver expenses can add up.
- Living liver donor expenses: If you are using a living donor, they may incur costs to provide a liver transplant, including their travel expenses and lost wages.
- Emotional and psychological costs: A liver transplant is a life-altering event, and the well-being of the patient and their loved ones can be significantly affected throughout the entire experience. The transplant process can often cause stress and anxiety among everyone involved in such a big procedure. Therefore, you or your loved ones may require professional counseling help to work through these challenges, which can be an additional cost.
Crowdfunding for a liver transplant
You’ve seen the high cost of liver transplantation and post-surgery care. And if you or someone you love needs help getting the care you need, crowdfunding can provide supplemental financial support.
Whether you’re using insurance coverage, getting financial assistance, or needing to cover the entire surgery out of your own pocket, a GoFundMe can help provide additional financial resources so you can get the treatment you need.
With GoFundMe, you can quickly and easily start fundraising. In just a few minutes, you’ll be able to start getting support for yourself, a loved one, or a friend.
Health insurance and financial assistance for a liver transplant
To pay for a liver transplant, many rely on insurance coverage or some form of financial assistance program. First, let’s cover the health insurance options and how they might provide help for liver transplants.
Private health care coverage
Many employed individuals participate in a private health care plan. This is a type of insurance plan in which an insurance company covers an entire group or organization.
If you do not receive health care coverage from your employer, you can also purchase it directly from an insurance provider or through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Since each healthcare company will have different plans, coverage for a liver transplant can vary based on your insurer. While insurance companies will cover some costs of care, the degree to which they cover these costs will differ. Very rarely will insurance companies cover the total care costs.
To find out more about your plan, review the plan documents and then contact your insurer to learn more about their coverage.
Government health insurance plans
Another option for many individuals is to use a form of government health insurance. These programs can provide some help with the cost of liver transplant surgery.
Medicare
This is the government health insurance program for those over the age of 65 or those with disabilities or certain diseases. Medicare health plans provide hospital insurance (Part A) and medical insurance (Part B).
They can also include Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C), Medicare Cost Plans, and the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Private companies contract with Medicare to offer these plans. Prescription drug coverage (Medicare Part D) is also available.
According to Medicare.gov, Medicare Part A covers necessary labs, tests, and exams related to organ transplantation. Part A generally includes coverage for the costs of finding an organ and services for your liver transplant.
Medicare Part B covers doctors’ services associated with your transplant. As far as the costs of the transplant and related services, you pay 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount for Part B services after the Part B deductible is met. The transplant must be performed in a Medicare-approved facility.
Medicaid
Medicaid is a state and federal program that helps cover medical costs for those with limited income and resources. Each state runs its own Medicaid program, following the general rules set forth by the federal government.
Because each state is different, they may have other coverage requirements for liver transplants. Contact your state to learn more about Medicaid eligibility and your coverage options.
Financial assistance options
Those without insurance coverage may have to pay the entire surgery cost.
For those who need help affording the cost of their surgery, the leading nonprofits that help with healthcare expenses include:
- The HealthWell Foundation: A leading nonprofit organization helping people afford healthcare costs. This foundation may assist with copays, premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket expenses.
- PAN Foundation: A nonprofit organization that helps underinsured people with their out-of-pocket expenses.
Payment plans
In addition to reaching out to these nonprofits, another strategy is to work with the healthcare provider to agree on a repayment plan. Payment plans are fixed monthly payments over a set term in order to pay for the care you need.
These repayment plans can be a better option than other financial options such as credit cards or short term medical loans because of their lower interest rates.
Navigating the financial challenges of a liver transplant
With the high cost of liver transplantation and continuing care, it’s crucial that patients and their loved ones understand the costs. As you or your family prepare for a transplant, here’s what you need to consider to manage the financial road ahead:
- Understand your insurance coverage: As we’ve mentioned, insurance coverage for this procedure can vary, so it’s important to discuss the costs and coverage details with your insurance provider. You may also work with a healthcare provider’s in-house financial coordinator, who can help you better understand these coverages and costs.
- Plan for ongoing expenses: As a result of a liver transplant, you will need to be on immunosuppressant medications, and you may need additional, ongoing care. Therefore, it’s important to understand what these costs may be as you prepare for surgery.
Getting help with the cost of a liver transplant
A liver transplant is a costly procedure, but it can give liver transplant recipients a new hope and another chance at life. Therefore, you must understand the direct and hidden costs associated with receiving a liver transplant.
As you try to get the help you need, sometimes the best solution is to ask. So if you’d like to reach out to a broader audience to get support, consider starting a GoFundMe. With GoFundMe, you can fundraise and find the help you need for your liver transplant.just a few minutes, you’ll be able to start getting support for yourself, a loved one, or a friend.
Frequently asked questions
In its 2025 report, Milliman estimated the average billed charge for a liver transplant at $1,017,800. Your own costs can be different based on where you live, your surgeon, your medical center, and your overall health.
Insurance plans generally cover some liver transplant costs, but how much they cover varies by insurer. Very rarely does a plan cover everything. Review your plan documents and contact your insurer for details.
Medicare can help. Part A generally covers the costs of finding an organ and services for your transplant, and Part B covers doctors’ services. After you meet the Part B deductible, you pay 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount, and the transplant must take place in a Medicare-approved facility.
Hidden costs can include lost income, travel and lodging, caregiver expenses, living donor expenses, and counseling for the emotional side of the process.
Without insurance, you may have to pay the full cost of surgery. Nonprofits like the HealthWell Foundation and the PAN Foundation may help with out-of-pocket costs, and you can ask your provider about a repayment plan. You can also start a GoFundMe to ask your community for support.