Your Medicare Coverage
Is my test, item, or service covered?
Pancreas transplants (adults)
How often is it covered?
If you have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and need a pancreas transplant, Medicare covers the transplant if one of these applies:
- It's done at the same time you get a kidney transplant
- It's done after a kidney transplant
In some rare cases Medicare may cover a pancreas transplant even if you don't need a kidney transplant. If you're entitled to Medicare only because of permanent kidney failure, and you have the pancreas transplant after the kidney transplant, Medicare will only pay for your immunosuppressive drug therapy for 36 months after the month of the kidney transplant. If you were already entitled to Medicare because of age or disability before you got ESRD, or if you became eligible for Medicare because of age or disability after getting a transplant, Medicare will continue to pay for your immunosuppressive drugs with no time limit.
Who's eligible?
All people with Medicare are covered.
Your costs in Original Medicare
You pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for doctor services.
You pay various amounts for transplant facility charges. You pay nothing for a living donor for a kidney transplant.
You pay nothing for Medicare-approved laboratory tests.
Related resources
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