Man Fighting Cancer Now Battling Insurance Company After Life-Saving Transplant Denied
He's appealing the denial and waiting for a decision.
Imagine this:
You're suffering from stage 4 lung cancer at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center. You hear about clinical trial double lung transplant at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, and your insurance company, Cigna, approves procedures to have you transferred there and undergo the life-saving transplant. And on your way there everything comes to a screeching halt, after Cigna denies coverage at the 11th hour.
That's exactly what happened to 59-year-old Deron Wells. According to ABC 7, Wells was on his way to Illinois before coverage was denied, despite prior approvals. The husband and father of three has appealed the decisions. As he waits, his life hangs in the balance.
"I am really sad that my life is in the hands of these decision-makers who seem to make these decisions in such a cold way," he said.
Wells' wife, Janet Savarimuthu, hopes Cigna comes to its senses.
"The last option we have is for us to take him to Northwestern, period," she said. "I hope Cigna really understands the seriousness of the situation. We're not just a number. We are talking about his life."
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The once healthy and active father had been approved for the clinical trial by both UCLA Medical Center and Northwestern Memorial, which announced its breakthrough clinical program for people with stage 4 lung cancer back in September 2022.
Chicagos' Albert Khoury in September 2021 became the first person at the age of 54 to undergo a lung transplant after chemotherapy treatments failed.
"But despite these clear medical approvals, Cigna, his health insurance provider, is refusing to authorize the transplant and the emergency medical transport needed to get him to Chicago," a friend writes in a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to get Wells to Chicago if Cigna doesn't reverse course. "Without immediate intervention, Deron may not survive."
A Cigna spokesperson told ABC 7, "Our coverage guidelines are grounded in national clinical standards to help ensure the best possible outcomes for patients."
