Yes, for Australian citizens and residents, liver transplants in public hospitals are covered by government funding, meaning there are no costs for in-hospital services, but patients are generally responsible for medications, travel, and accommodation. The high costs of the procedure itself are largely subsidised, making it affordable, but ongoing drug costs (pharmaceuticals) and associated living expenses are out-of-pocket.
Liver transplants are not possible when the cancer has spread (metastasised) to other organs or to major blood vessels. Currently, all liver transplants in Australia are performed in public hospitals and there is no cost for in-hospital services.
Coverage details
Part A covers inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care, hospice care, and some home health care. covers necessary tests, labs, and exams, and generally also covers: Services for heart, lung, kidney, pancreas, intestine, and liver transplants.
People needing liver or heart transplants often need to wait nine or more months. Recipients are assessed for compatibility to the donor (not just blood type, but for six different tissue antigen subtypes as well as general body size – e.g. putting an adult heart into a small child is not possible).
A 2021 study found that liver procurement costs could be over $75,000. 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, these could be up to $500,000.
On average, the cost of liver transplant in India an indicative range would be somewhere between INR 20 lakh – INR 30 lakh. This cost is significantly very less when compared to the cost of the same treatment and care in hospitals in developed countries.
Traditionally, being liver transplant candidate requires “six months of abstinence” from alcohol. However, the so-called “six-month rule” may not save some of life especially in severe ALHep patients. We validated the impact of the “six-month rule” on post-transplant outcomes.
You can expect to be in hospital for 7-14 days after a liver transplant.
There are around 1,800 Australians currently waitlisted for a transplant and more than 12,000 additional people on dialysis — many who may need a kidney transplant. In 2020, 1,270 Australian lives were saved through an organ transplant due to the generosity of 463 organ donors and their families.
Chronic rejection has widely varied effects on different organs. At 5 years post-transplant, 80% of lung transplants, 60% of heart transplants and 50% of kidney transplants are affected, while liver transplants are only affected 10% of the time.
You may be disqualified from having a liver transplant if you have: Current alcohol or drug abuse problems. Uncontrolled infection that will not go away with a transplant. Metastatic cancer or bile duct cancer.
Heart Transplant: The Costliest Procedure
Heart transplants top the list as the most expensive medical procedure in 2024. The complexity of the surgery, the need for donor matching, and the lifelong post-transplant care contribute to the high cost.
Five-year graft and patient survivals are 67% (deceased/2000) 62% (living/2000) and 76% (deceased/2000) 81% (living/2000), respectively. During 2006 at New York Presbyterian, our one-year graft and patient survival rates are 82% and 88%.
Throughout the United States, patients waiting for liver transplants are prioritized based on the severity of their illness, as measured by what's called the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score. The score uses blood tests to determine how urgently you need a liver transplant within the next three months.
A national leader in transplant excellence
Austin Health is a major provider of transplants nationally with a long history of excellence. We deliver a broad range of transplants, including liver, intestinal, kidney, multi-visceral, and allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplants, and transplant research.
On MDsave, the cost of a Liver Biopsy ranges from $2,135 to $4,779. Those on high deductible health plans or without insurance can shop, compare prices and save. Read more about how MDsave works.
Waiting time for your liver transplant can vary from a single day to months or years, until a suitable donor is available. While waiting for a transplant, you will return to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for regular follow-ups (usually monthly).
In general, about 75% of people who undergo liver transplant live for at least five years. That means that for every 100 people who receive a liver transplant for any reason, about 75 will live for five years and 25 will die within five years.
Your belly and side will be sore for the first 1 to 2 weeks after surgery. You also may have some numbness around the cut (incision) the doctor made. It is common to feel tired while you are healing. It may take 3 to 6 months or longer for your energy to fully return.
Alcohol and Other Toxins
The transplantation team recommends that recipients avoid overuse of alcoholic beverages after transplantation. Patients who have used alcohol or abused other chemicals, such as illegal drugs, since their transplant, should contact a coordinator or substance abuse counselor for help.
If your recovery is going well, after 8 weeks, you will usually be encouraged to start moderate exercise. This could be walking, jogging, swimming or cycling. Most sports and activities are possible but you should avoid heavy contact sports (rugby, martial arts, boxing) as these risk damaging your liver transplant.
Having some alcohol-free days each week gives your liver a chance to recover. The liver has a special ability to repair itself, up to a point. Giving it a break from alcohol each week can help stop damage building up over time and leading to serious liver disease.
Things you can do to keep healthy
Alcoholics historically have been considered unsuitable for liver transplantation because of their presumed high risk of relapse to excessive drinking after transplantation.