In comparison, heart transplant patients who meet the surgical criteria but who do not receive a new heart do not survival beyond six months. For those individuals destined to develop heart disease, the anticipated average increase is approximately half a year. These projected costs are associated with anticipated increases in life expectancy. Assuming a five-year, 51% survival and an initial cost of $100,000, total program costs in the fifth year are projected to be $1.3 billion for a pool of 12,000 patients, and $3.8 billion for 32,500 patients. These estimates range from a low of $100,000 to a high of $300,000 per patient in the initial year. Estimates of the cost of the artificial heart include charges for the surgical procedure, device and console, and continuing medical surveillance. However, continued application of a protocol that requires informed consent by the patient effectively limits the pool to 12,000 annually. ![]() As discussed above, approximately 32,500 persons aged 55 to 70 years with end-stage heart disease may be potential candidates for the artificial heart each year.
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