How Do You Learn More About Liver Transplants?
There is a vast amount of information about liver transplant available on the Internet. Here are some of the highlights. Understand that if you need a liver transplant, you will be placed on the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) waiting list. Your place on the list can change, depending on your medical status. You will be evaluated objectively and treated equally, regardless of wealth, status, sex or race. Expect the average waiting time for outpatients with type O or type A blood to be 24 to 36 months; type B, 12 to 24 months; and type AB, 6 to 12 months. Infants generally wait 18 to 24 months. If a patient is hospitalized for severe liver failure, he or she may receive a transplant within weeks or days. Rest assured that Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance companies cover most of the cost of a liver transplant. The average cost is $235,000. Understand that patients addicted to drugs or alcohol who need a new liver must enroll in an approved substance-abuse program. The
