Mayo Clinic's approach
- Teamwork. At Mayo Clinic, a team of surgeons, doctors, transplant nurses, pharmacists, social workers and other health professionals take care of you before, during and after transplant. They provide quality care focused on the needs of you and your family.
- Coordinated care. Having all of this subspecialized expertise in a single place, focused on you, means that you're not just getting one opinion — your care is discussed among the team, your test results are available quickly, appointments are scheduled in coordination and your transplant care team works together to determine what's best for you.
- Experience. As a three-site institution, Mayo Clinic has one of the largest liver transplant programs in the United States. Its liver transplant team is recognized nationally and internationally for its expertise in comprehensive specialty treatment for people with serious liver conditions.
- Advanced technology. The innovations and technology of Mayo Clinic's liver transplant team make transplants available to more people. Our doctors and surgeons offer specialized procedures available at only a small number of institutions. These services include heart-liver transplants, treatment for bile duct cancer and treatment for patients with obesity who need liver transplant with weight-loss surgery (sleeve gastrectomy).
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Research. Researchers at Mayo Clinic are actively engaged in developing new technologies, treatments and techniques to make transplants safer and available to more people. For example, Mayo Clinic researchers study how to limit immune system rejection after liver transplant and how to use cell therapies to improve outcomes.
At Mayo Clinic, you may have access to ongoing clinical trials, research and new treatments.
Expertise and rankings
Each year, Mayo's doctors and surgeons diagnose and treat thousands of people with liver disease. Mayo Clinic's three-site Liver Transplant Program is one of the largest in the country.
Mayo Clinic also has one of the largest living-donor programs in the United States. Living-donor transplant is an option that, for many people, reduces time on the waiting list for a donor liver and improves outcomes.
Experience
Mayo Clinic's Liver Transplant Program was established in 1985. Since then, Mayo Clinic has completed more than 8,700 transplants in children and adults. Mayo Clinic's campus in Florida has completed more than 3,750 liver transplants, a milestone that very few centers nationwide have achieved.
Innovation and research
The liver transplant teams in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota are leaders and innovators in heart-liver transplants, transplants for people with liver cancer and use of anti-rejection drugs that help ensure positive outcomes.
People with challenging health situations come to Mayo Clinic for help because our doctors and surgeons are experts in specialized liver transplant options.
The Mayo Clinic Transplant Center supports many studies for liver transplant research. For example, Mayo Clinic researchers are developing a bioartificial liver that could help patients cope as they await a donor liver.
Nationally recognized expertise
Liver transplant outcomes at Mayo Clinic compare favorably with the national average.
Volumes and outcomes
Mayo Clinic doctors' experience and integrated team approach results in transplant outcomes that compare favorably with national averages. Teams work with transplant recipients before, during and after surgery to ensure the greatest likelihood of superior results.
Volumes and statistics are maintained separately for the three Mayo Clinic locations. Taken together or separately, transplant recipients at Mayo Clinic enjoy excellent results.
Locations, travel and lodging
The Mayo Clinic Transplant Center offers care and housing for transplant recipients and their families in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota.
Mayo Clinic has major campuses in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rochester, Minnesota. The Mayo Clinic Health System has dozens of locations in several states.
For more information on visiting Mayo Clinic, choose your location below:
Costs and insurance
Liver transplant cost and insurance information
Mayo Clinic has dedicated transplant financial services representatives and social workers who can assist you with insurance and financial questions regarding your transplant.
Mayo Clinic works with hundreds of insurance companies and is an in-network provider for millions of people. In most cases, Mayo Clinic doesn't require a physician referral. Some insurers require referrals or may have additional requirements for certain medical care. Many insurance companies require you to get preapproval authorization prior to transplant services.
Insurance information
Before your transplant, it's important that you work closely with your insurance company to understand your benefit plan. You'll be responsible for any of your transplant and medical care costs not covered by your insurance company.
You may want to ask your insurance company several questions regarding your transplant expenses, such as:
- What is the specific coverage of my plan? What are my deductibles, coinsurance, copayments, lifetime maximum amount and annual maximum amounts for both medical care and transplant services?
- Does my plan have a preexisting or waiting period clause? If so, what is the time frame? Can this be waived?
- Does my plan include pharmacy coverage? If so, will my plan cover my current medications and immunosuppressant medications?
- Does my plan require any special approvals for evaluation or transplant? How long does the approval process take once submitted to insurance?
- Does my plan cover my transportation and lodging expenses during my transplant care?
- Does my current insurance require enrollment in Medicare when eligible?
- Does my insurance follow Medicare coordination of benefits guidelines?
- How will my current coverage change after enrolling in Medicare? Will my plan become a supplemental or secondary plan?
If your plan is a Medicare supplement, ask questions including:
- Does my plan follow Medicare guidelines?
- Does my plan cover Medicare Part A and B deductible and coinsurance?
- Does my plan have a preexisting or waiting period? If so, what is the time frame?
- Does my plan offer an option for Medicare Part D coverage?
Other expenses
Please plan for other expenses that may occur related to your transplant, which may include follow-up medical appointments, long-term medications, caregiver expenses, travel, parking, lodging and other expenses.
For international patients
Mayo Clinic has dedicated international patient account representatives who can assist you with questions regarding your costs and insurance. Read more about international financial services.
Case managers
Mayo Clinic financial staff will work closely with your case managers from your insurance company. Your case manager, who is assigned to you, is available to answer questions and calls related to your insurance costs.