What is the average cost of a kidney transplant?
Asked by: Vesta Mitchell V | Last update: December 30, 2025Score: 4.3/5 (49 votes)
Does insurance pay for a kidney transplant?
Does insurance cover the costs? Medicare or the kidney recipient's private insurance will cover the medical costs of testing and surgery, both for the kidney donor and recipient.
What is the average life expectancy after a kidney transplant?
Increased life expectancy with kidney transplant
With a deceased kidney donor transplant (a kidney from someone who is brain-dead), life expectancy increases to 30 years. Best of all, a living donor kidney transplant increases life expectancy to 40 years.
Why do transplants only last 10 years?
Some of the reasons may be beyond your control: Low-grade inflammation from the transplant could wear on the organ, or a persisting disease or condition could do to the new organ what it did to the previous one. If you're young, odds are good you'll outlive the transplanted organ.
What is the hardest organ transplant to get?
Lungs are the most difficult organ to transplant because they are highly susceptible to infections in the late stages of the donor's life. They can sustain damage during the process of recovering them from the donor or collapse after surgeons begin to ventilate them after transplant.
What is the average life expectancy after a Kidney Transplant & Dialysis? - Dr. Sankaran Sundar
What disqualifies you from getting a kidney transplant?
Common reasons why a kidney transplant may not be the right treatment for you include: You are too ill or frail to cope with the surgery and aftercare. You have recently had cancer, a serious infection, a heart attack or a stroke. You may struggle taking the immunosuppressant medicines after a kidney transplant.
What is the cut off age for kidney transplant?
At our center, transplantation has been offered to all patients considered to benefit from the procedure, with no strict upper or lower age limit. Accordingly, we have had no upper formal age limit for live or deceased kidney donation, that is, willingly accepting expanded criteria donor kidneys to older recipients.
What is the most common cause of death after a kidney transplant?
Although cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in kidney transplant registries proportionally,3 the contribution of cardiovascular death relative to other causes, such as cancer and infection at different time periods post-transplant, have not been quantified.
What disqualifies you from receiving an organ transplant?
The Recipient Patient must meet strict medical criteria which include not suffering from multiple organ failure, not wrestling with a persistent or pervasive infection, and not having any other treatment options available.
What if you can't afford a kidney transplant?
You may get a premium tax credit based on your income. With lower income, you may get help for out of pocket costs. Or, talk with your transplant center about how to make a plan to pay those costs. QHPs change every year so review your options.
How much will I get paid if I donate a kidney?
No. It is illegal to sell or purchase an organ in the United States, as it is in most countries. However, while direct financial compensation for kidney donation is illegal, there are many financial assistance programs available to cover the medical expenses and related costs associated with living organ donation.
How much do anti-rejection drugs cost per month?
Antirejection medications are critical in maintaining the transplanted organ. During the first year after transplant, anti-rejection drugs can cost from $1,500 to 1,800 per month.
Which is cheaper dialysis or kidney transplant?
This organ shortage is costly to the people who end up waiting longer for transplant or who die awaiting one, and to taxpayers who pay most of the health care costs of people with end-stage kidney disease. Transplants cost $133,000, and immunosuppressant medications cost $25,000, while dialysis costs $90,000 a year.
Do you lose Medicare after kidney transplant?
For example, if you get a kidney transplant that continues to work for 36 months, your Medicare coverage will end (unless you have Medicare based on your age or disability).
What is the average hospital stay for a kidney transplant?
Hospital recovery for a kidney transplant is usually 4-5 days if there are no complications. The length of stay depends on your medical condition and needs. You'll be in a specialized transplant care area for the duration of your hospital stay. You may be able to get out of bed the day after surgery.
What is the life expectancy of a kidney transplant patient?
On average, a kidney transplant from a living donor lasts about 15 to 20 years, and a kidney from a deceased donor lasts 8 to 12 years. Some will last longer; others will last less. Today, most people get a kidney transplant after being on dialysis for some amount of time, but that is not the only option.
What are the odds of dying in a kidney transplant?
Can I die from a kidney transplant? As with any major operation, there is a small risk of dying, but this is rare. The average risk of dying during the first few months after a kidney transplant is between 1-2 in 100 patients. However, this varies widely on a patient-by-patient basis.
What stage kidney failure is a transplant?
Stage 5: Kidney failure (GFR less than 15). When the kidneys do not work well enough to maintain life, you will need dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Do you need dialysis after a kidney transplant?
A kidney transplant requires ongoing care. You will need to take medications to stop your body rejecting the kidney (anti-rejection) for as long as you have the transplanted kidney. If a kidney transplant stops working, dialysis treatment will be necessary again. Another transplant may also be possible.
What is the biggest problem with kidney transplants?
Rejection happens in 10 to 15 out of 100 patients within the first year of a kidney transplant. The risk of rejection is highest in the first 3-6 months after a transplant. After this time, your body's immune system is less likely to recognise the kidney as coming from another person.
How long can you live with one kidney?
The loss in kidney function is usually mild, and life span is not impacted. Most people with one kidney live healthy, normal lives with few problems. In other words, one healthy kidney can work as well as two. There may be a chance of having high blood pressure.
At what age will they no longer do a kidney transplant?
Each transplant program sets its own practice. For example, one program may not accept anyone older than 80 years of age; another may have no age limit. Most transplant candidates nationwide are age 50 or older, and many transplant programs often accept patients age 65 and older.
Who is not a good candidate to be a kidney donor?
Kidney donors must be healthy, so potential donors may be disqualified if they have a serious medical condition, such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes, active or recently treated cancer, HIV, hepatitis, or acute or recurring infections.
Is there a weight requirement for kidney transplant?
While there is no exact weight requirement needed to get a transplant, you need to make sure you are fit enough for the surgery. Even though getting a new kidney is life-changing, the journey does not end there! It is important to protect your new kidney by continuing to eat healthy, exercise and manage your weight.