The cost of a bone marrow transplant depends on the treatment center chosen, the length of the hospital stay, and whether the patient’s insurance company covers all or part of the operation. Other factors also affect the cost of a bone marrow transplant, including donor expenses that may not be covered by insurance and the number of blood transfusions needed during the lengthy recovery period. Some organizations offer financial aid to eligible patients to help offset some of the cost of a bone marrow transplant.

Bone marrow transplants use stem cells from the patient’s body, genetically matched donor cells, or umbilical cord stem cells. The patient’s bone marrow is destroyed and replaced with healthy stem cells, which travel to his or her bone marrow and might begin producing healthy red and white blood cells and platelets. Transplants usually treat conditions like cancer, immune diseases, and hereditary blood disorders.

Determining the cost of a bone marrow transplant proves difficult because several complications might require an extended hospital stay or the need to return during the recovery period, which could take up to six months. Some patients face rejection of donor cells that might endanger the kidneys or liver. Others may experience problems with bleeding that require another hospital stay.

Infection represents another common complication affecting the cost of a bone marrow transplant. Immediately after surgery, the patient’s white cell count typically is very low, hindering the body’s ability to fight off bacterial and viral infections. Donor cells might also attack the stomach, intestines, and skin, prompting a return to the hospital for treatment and additional expense.

Fewer complications generally appear after an autologous bone marrow transplant, which means the patient’s own stem cells are used. Doctors harvest the cells before the patient receives chemotherapy or radiation therapy to preserve healthy cells. They are frozen and stored until needed. When a patient’s stem cells are transplanted, the odds of rejection decline and the cost of a bone marrow transplant might decrease.

Some patients opt for surgery in a foreign country, which might substantially reduce the cost of a bone marrow transplant, especially for those without health insurance. Medical tourism organizations estimate patients might save up to half the cost of a transplant in Mexico and Turkey. Surgery in India represents another option explored by some cancer patients, because expenses might run a fraction of the cost in other countries.