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Kidney Transplant

Surgery

Insurance

Sam's insurance paid approximately $87,000 during 1997 for Sam's care. This amount included both his and the donor's expenses before and after surgery. The costs for Sam from this point on should be much less and will consist primarily of the costs of anti-rejection medications.

While transplantation is an expensive option, in the long run it is far more cost effective to maintain than dialysis.

Sam has also been eligible for Medicare to serve as a secondary payer since he has worked and has contributed to Social Security over the years. The Medicare coverage for renal disease starts with the date of transplant surgery if, as in this case, the transplant is the first option for treatment of renal failure.

Note: some pharmaceutical companies will assist low income patients to pay the cost of particular medications. Some of these medications are used by kidney transplant patients.

Objective:

Describe how kidney transplants are financially covered