liver transplantation is not cheap and waiting list is long

According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), estimated charges for liver transplantation in the US are:

Estimated First-Year Charge (1996 dollars): $314,600
Estimated Annual Follow-up Charge (1996 dollars): $21,900

Therefore unless one has an excellent health plan, he/she will go broke.

Also there is a large shortage in liver supplies. For those patients who are already on the waiting list, much more people die than getting livers every year.