Compare 935 transplant surgeons in Watsonville, CA. Check ratings, insurance, and availability.
The transplant evaluation is extensive, spanning multiple days and involving medical testing (blood work, imaging, cardiac testing), psychological evaluation, social work assessment, financial counseling, and educational sessions. The transplant surgeon will explain the procedure, risks, expected outcomes, and the lifelong commitment to immunosuppressive medications. If approved, you are placed on the transplant waiting list managed by UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing). Wait times vary by organ, blood type, and geographic region.
See a transplant surgeon when you are being evaluated for organ transplant listing (end-stage kidney disease, liver failure, heart failure, lung disease), when you are interested in being a living donor, or when you have been referred by your specialist (nephrologist, hepatologist, cardiologist) for transplant evaluation. Transplant teams include surgeons, physicians, coordinators, social workers, and other specialists who evaluate candidates as a group.
Transplant evaluation: covered by insurance · Kidney transplant: $250,000-400,000 · Liver transplant: $500,000-800,000 · Immunosuppressive medications: $1,000-3,000/month
Organ transplantation is covered by medical insurance, including Medicare (which covers kidney transplants for all end-stage renal disease patients regardless of age). Transplant evaluation, surgery, hospital stay, and immunosuppressive medications are all covered benefits. Post-transplant medications are lifelong and expensive. Medicare covers immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplant recipients. For other organs, coverage varies by plan. Financial counselors at transplant centers help navigate coverage.