A long, long rabbit hole that I've touched on a few times in the past as it's topic that for a couple reasons is very important to me. I looked up just a few things to post here for anyone who might want to ponder a tiny smidgen of this topic over their morning coffee....
Revenue Potential from Organ Transplants
A busy, large hospital can generate substantial revenue from organ transplants. The financial interest in each body harvested is estimated to be around $1.7 million. However, the total revenue a hospital can make in a year depends on several factors.
Key Factors Influencing Revenue
- Number of Transplants: The more transplants performed, the higher the potential revenue.
- Type of Organs: Different organs may have varying financial values, impacting overall earnings.
- Hospital Efficiency: The operational efficiency and effectiveness of the hospital's transplant program can also influence revenue.
Example Revenue Calculation
To illustrate potential earnings, consider the following hypothetical scenario:
| Factor | Value |
|---|
| Estimated Revenue per Organ | $1.7 million |
| Number of Transplants per Year | 50 (example figure) |
| Total Revenue | $85 million (1.7 million x 50) |
In this example, if a hospital performs 50 transplants in a year, it could potentially generate $85 million from organ transplants alone.
While the exact revenue can vary widely based on the factors mentioned, it is clear that organ transplants can be a significant source of income for large hospitals.
Breakdown of Hospital Revenue and Transplant Charges (U.S.)
While
hospitals do not keep the profit from selling an organ, they do receive
reimbursement from insurers (like Medicare) for the costs of procuring
and transplanting the organ. As of 2025, the average amount billed for
select transplants includes:
- Intestine: ~$1.7 million
- Bone Marrow (allogenic): ~$1.2 million
- Liver: ~$1.0 million
- Pancreas: ~$600,000
Note:
These figures represent the total bill for the transplant procedure,
not the direct payment for the organ itself, which is illegal.
Costs in the Organ Procurement System
- Organ Procurement Costs:
Federally designated Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) manage the
recovery and charge transplant hospitals for these services.
- Hospital Revenue Model:
Transplant centers are reimbursed for "Organ Acquisition Costs" (OAC),
which include donor management, organ procurement, transportation, and
preservation.
- Profitability:
For hospitals, profit is not derived from the organ itself, but rather
from the overall margin of the hospitalization and the transplantation
procedure, which can be high.
👉👉👉A series of high-profile reports and federal investigations that have surfaced recently, most notably involving a case in Kentucky.
These reports have indeed documented instances where medical staff and
whistleblowers observed potential donors showing signs of life—including
purposeful movement and tears—just before organ retrieval was scheduled
to begin.
The Kentucky Case: Anthony Thomas "TJ" Hoover II
In 2024, an investigation into a 2021 incident at Baptist Health Richmond in Kentucky brought these concerns to light.
- The Incident: After being declared brain-dead following a drug overdose, 36-year-old TJ Hoover was prepped for organ harvesting.
- Signs of Life: Witnesses, including a surgical preservationist, reported that Hoover began thrashing on the table and was "crying visibly" as he was being prepped for surgery.
- Medical Response: Despite these signs, witnesses alleged that officials from the Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) pressured staff to proceed, even suggesting they "find another doctor" when the original surgical team refused to participate.
- Outcome: The procedure was ultimately canceled. Hoover survived and currently lives with his sister, though he continues to face significant neurological challenges.
Broader Federal Investigations
These individual reports led to a larger investigation by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which revealed systemic issues within the U.S. organ procurement system.
- The 2025 HHS Report:
A report released in late 2025 examined over 350 cases where organ
donation plans were eventually canceled. It found that in approximately 30% of those cases, there were concerning signs of life or neurological activity that should have prompted an earlier stop to the process.
- Expert Testimony: Medical experts, such as Dr. Joseph Varon,
have described these findings as the "commodification of human life,"
where patients are treated as "inventory" rather than living beings.
https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/10/16/nx-s1-5113976/organ-transplantion-mistake-brain-dead-surgery-still-alive
"I've dedicated my entire life to organ donation and transplant. It's
very scary to me now that these things are allowed to happen and
there's not more in place to protect donors," says Martin.
Martin
was not assigned to the operating room that day, but she says she
thought she might get drafted. So she started to review case notes from
earlier in the day. She became alarmed when she read that the donor
showed signs of life when doctors tried to examine his heart, she says.
"The donor had woken up during his procedure that morning for a
cardiac catheterization. And he was thrashing around on the table,"
Martin says.
Cardiac catheterization is performed on potential
organ donors to evaluate whether the heart is healthy enough to go to a
person in need of a new heart.
Martin says doctors sedated the patient when he woke up and plans to recover his organs proceeded.
