When healthcare becomes the barrier to heart transplantation and advanced therapies

Surgical management of advanced heart failure is complex and multi-faceted. It requires a coordinated care team and is accompanied by strict criteria for which patients qualify for either a donor heart for transplantation or a ventricular assist device. For these patients, these interventions offer the potential to extend life by multiple years. However, for patients without appropriate financial coverage, these therapies can become virtually inaccessible. Our perspective piece illustrates a real patient's struggles and highlights their complex barriers to heart transplantation.