Santa Monica, California (KABC) – When his insurance company refused to cover him, the man was preparing to fly across the country for a life-changing double lung transplant.
Deron Wells is battling stage 4 lung cancer.
His three husbands and father are also fighting his insurance company.
“It's really sad that my life is in the hands of these decision makers who seem to make these decisions in such a cold way,” Wells said.
The 59-year-old and his family say Signa has approved him for a procedure that allows him to be transferred to Northwest Medicine in Chicago for a medically approved clinical trial double lung transplant.
As they were preparing to leave UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center on Friday, Cigna refused to provide compensation for both implantation and medical transfers to Illinois.
“The last option we have is to take him to the northwest. I hope Signa really understands the seriousness of the situation. We're not just numbers. We're talking about his life.”
Lung transplantation is not the standard treatment for lung cancer.
“Our compensation guidelines are based on national clinical standards to ensure the best possible outcomes for patients,” Cigna Healthcare said in a statement.
Well was also waiting for an appeal, and my friend set up a A campaign to help him get a life-saving transplant.
“Deron deserves this chance that we're fighting hard to ensure he gets,” his friend Scott Kern said.
The once active and healthy father says that the fight for his life is not over.
“I really hope that Cigna will change that song and it's not finished yet, so I think we'll have a positive view on this,” Wells said.
Wells was said to respond to his appeal by Thursday.
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