Transplant FAQ

How Many People Need and Receive Transplants?

Since the Organ Procurement Transplant Network began tracking data in 1988, there have been nearly 70,000 Organ transplants in Pennsylvania alone as of June 24, 2025. Nearly 11,300 of those transplants used organs from living donors. In 2024 alone, PA saw nearly 2,300 transplants.¹

As of June 24, 2025, nearly 6,000 PA residents are on the waitlist for an organ transplant.²

How Much Does an Organ Transplant Cost?

The billed charges for an organ transplant can vary significantly by organ. For example, the cheapest organ to receive a transplant for, Corneas, averages $57,000 for a transplant, while the most expensive organ to receive a transplant for, a Heart, Averages $1,918,700.³

Of course, these are just the averages for single organ transplants. Costs can grow astronomically in cases of multi-organ transplant, and other factors, such as insurance coverage, can impact a patient’s final bill. Additionally, recipients and or donors may need to travel for the operation and may require extended lodgings for the duration of their procedure and recovery, which isn’t typically covered by insurance.

All things considered, the truth is quite simple; organ transplants are exceedingly, and often prohibitively, expensive for recipients, which is why our foundation’s mission is so important.

How Do People Pay for their Transplants?

Approximately 40% of PA transplant patients use private insurance as their primary source of payment, while approximately 44% use some form of public insurance.⁴

How Long Does it Take to Receive an Organ?

Approximately 64% of PA patients currently on the transplant waitlist as of June 24, 2025 have been on the waitlist for more than 1 year.⁵

The national average wait time in the US varies by organ.

Organ	Average Wait Time
Kidney	5 years
Liver	11 months
Heart	4 months
Lung	4 months
Pancreas	2 years

The need for a multi-organ transplant can also impact wait-time.

Transplants involving a living donor allow patients to bypass the national waitlist, dramatically speeding up the transplantation process.

How Can I Help?

Simply joining us for nights of bingo and fundraising is a small way to help transplant patients in your community. The Transplant Alliance is also always looking for volunteers to helps us run our fundraising events and spread the word.

Registering as an organ donor is also a simple way to help others, as the largest limiting factor in transplantation access is the low supply compared to the growing demand.

You could also look at supporting our partner charities who also do fantastic work supporting transplant patients in need.

I Need Help Funding My Transplant; What Do I Do?

Check out our Asking for Assistance page for more info about how we can help you with your transplant costs.

My Procedure is Covered, but I Can’t Afford Long-Term Lodgings Near my Transplant Center; Can You Help?

The Transplant Alliance doesn’t only assist with direct operation costs, but related costs such as transportation and lodging.

I Need Help Finding a Living Donor; Can You Help?

The Transplant Alliance is focused on funding assistance only; unfortunately, we do not assist in finding living donors for transplant patients. We wish you luck on your transplant journey and are ready to offer assistance for costs associated with your transplant.

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1. According to Organ Procurement & Transplantation Network (OPTN) data as of June 24, 2025 ↩︎
2. According to OPTN data as of June 24, 2025 ↩︎
3. According to Milliman’s 2025 U.S. organ and tissue transplants report ↩︎
4. According to OPTN data as of June 24, 2025 ↩︎
5. According to OPTN data as of June 24, 2025 ↩︎