Fact Check: Did Ben Askren’s Double Lung Transplant Cost USD 2 Million?

The Claim: Former UFC fighter Ben Askren’s double lung transplant procedure and associated medical care cost USD 2 million.

Ben Askren, the American mixed martial arts and Olympic wrestling star, underwent a double lung transplant in late June 2025, as revealed by his wife in a Facebook post. The life-saving procedure came after a rapid health decline, beginning with his hospitalization on June 8 for a severe case of pneumonia.

Nearly a week later, Askren posted a video update on July 9 describing his ordeal, saying he “only died four times.” He continued sharing progress updates through July and August. He was discharged and went home by late July. 

During his hospitalization, a GoFundMe campaign was launched to support his medical care. It was on July 21, 2025, that wrestling coach Daniel Vallimont launched the GoFundMe campaign

“Please Support Ben Askren’s Road to Recovery!”, raising funds directly for Ben Askren’s post-operative care, medications, and rehabilitation, especially to cover costs not covered by insurance.

That campaign, widely shared on social platforms, highlighted the immense financial burden of the procedure. Several outlets, including Sports Illustrated, reported that Askren’s double lung transplant and related care were estimated to cost USD 2 million, though neither Ben nor Amy Askren ever posted or confirmed an exact figure themselves.

Our Rating: Unverified/Misleading

While media outlets have reported an estimated USD 2 million cost, unverified figures as high as USD 3 million are also circulating on social media and discussion forums like Reddit. However, there is no direct confirmation from Ben Askren, his wife Amy, or official hospital sources regarding the exact cost of his surgery and care.

The GoFundMe campaign launched by wrestling coach Daniel Vallimont emphasized the high costs of post-operative care and rehabilitation, but did not specify a dollar figure either.

Because of this, the widely circulated claim that Askren’s surgery “cost $2 million” remains unconfirmed. The figure has only appeared in secondary reports, with no verification from Askren, his family, or the treating hospital. Without confirmation from primary sources, the estimate should be treated with caution.

Typical transplant costs

The claim that Ben Askren’s double lung transplant cost USD 2 million falls within the higher range of typical costs for such procedures in the United States, though it remains unverified in his case.

 According to WellWisp, a health cost guide, the price of a double lung transplant can easily exceed USD 1 million, depending on location, hospital billing practices, and patient complications.

Further, according to Milliman’s 2025 analysis, the average billed cost of a double-lung transplant in the United States (before insurance adjustments and negotiated rates) is roughly USD 2,346,500. This figure includes organ procurement, the hospital transplant admission, physician fees, and the first 180 days of post-transplant care.

 This Milliman benchmark places a USD 2 million estimate for an individual transplant well within the plausible upper range, though actual patient bills vary substantially by hospital, complications, length of stay, use of ECMO, and insurance arrangements.

 At the same time, peer-reviewed analyses show much lower median hospitalization costs for some patient groups (which reflects differences in sample, time window, and what’s included in the “episode of care”), so transplant costs reported in the media can legitimately differ depending on which measure they cite.

Our Fact Check Sources

1. Ben Askren’s wife on Facebook, June 2025. Facebook
2. Ben Askren’s hospitalization update on Facebook, June 2025. Facebook
3. Ben Askren Instagram video update, July 9, 2025. Instagram
4. Ben Askren’s tweet about discharge, late July 2025. Twitter
5. GoFundMe campaign “Please Support Ben Askren’s Road to Recovery!”, July 21, 2025. GoFundMe
6. Sports Illustrated article on Askren’s ordeal and cost estimate. Sports Illustrated
7. WellWisp health cost guide on lung transplant costs. WellWisp
8. Milliman 2025 analysis report on US transplant costs. Milliman Report
9. Milliman benchmark summary 2025. Milliman Benchmark
10. Peer-reviewed analyses on hospitalization costs. NCBI Article