3 most expensive medical procedures

It is no secret that the health care system in the United States places a heavy financial burden on patients. Whether you are going in for a general wellness check or preparing for a major surgery, you can anticipate a hefty bill to pay, and this is often true even when you have insurance. The expenses often lead people to accumulate debt, and this debt can be financially crippling. There are debt relief options available for individuals who are struggling to pay medical expenses.

The following are three of the most expensive medical procedures available that will likely result in considerable medical debt.

1. Intestinal transplant

According to Healthcare Business & Technology, an intestine transplant is the most expensive medical procedure you can get. This procedure costs $1,206,000 and entails replacing dead or infected tissue in the intestines with healthy tissue from a donor. Because the procedure is often necessary in conjunction with a liver transplant, it is typically the most expensive medical procedure a person can get.

2. Heart-lung transplant

The second most expensive medical procedure available is a combined heart-lung transplant. This surgery comes to a grand total of $1,148,400. The procedures and diagnoses that must take place prior to the procedure itself make up most of this sum. There are also significant expenses associated with the post-op care and treatment that patients must receive.

3. Marrow transplant

Marrow transplants are the third most expensive medical procedure a person can receive. There are two types—allogenic and autologous—and the type of procedure necessary depends on the type of bone marrow needed. The former of these costs $676,800 and the latter costs $300,400. Both also incur considerable costs from the treatment that follows, and many insurance policies extend minimal coverage for bone marrow transplants.