Underlying conditions also come into play. That is why most facilities require a very thorough physical before agreeing to do the SCT. As a member of my transplant team said, "Before we spend $400,000 to $500,000 on an SCT, we want to be reasonably sure there is nothing else fixing to kill you."

They take in to account age, performance status, comorbidities, how you respond to induction, genetic alterations, access to the facility, ie transportation, insurance coverage, care giver status.

Wendell,
Rarely is the employee paying the entire premium or cost. Many large employers actually self insure and charge their employees a faction of the actual cost. In some cases the employee pays nothing for their own coverage, but has to pay for their spouse and covered children.

I have to pay the premiums to be able to stay in the employers benefits plan which is quite a lot cheaper because I probably couldn’t afford to have to go and buy my own benefits insurance because I would be paying through the nose for it. We didn’t pay the premiums when we were working and I personally don’t give a damn who pays what or how it works so that I pay lower premiums. We don’t have to pay extra for our dependents either.

mcastle I don’t understand why if the employee agrees to pay the premiums for the benefits the employee can’t stay in the employers benefit plan instead of losing their benefits when you retire because it’s no skin off their butts.