A Southern California man has died after his fight for insurance coverage for a double-lung transplant gained widespread attention online. Deron Wells succumbed last week, only days after being placed on the transplant waiting list.
Wells, who had been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, was preparing to travel across the country for the potentially life-saving procedure when his insurance company, Cigna, denied coverage. Family and friends shared that his intent in publicizing his struggle was to help others facing similar challenges in securing medical care.
“In his death, as unfortunate as it is, there is hope that things can change and that next patient will get that care in time so that their 11-year-old son doesn’t grow up without a daddy,” remarked Scott Kern, a close friend of Wells.
Wells is survived by his wife and three children, and a memorial service is scheduled for Saturday. His story went viral when he and his wife announced that Cigna had approved certain procedures for him to be airlifted to Illinois, leading them to believe that transplant coverage would soon follow.
However, shortly before their departure from UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center, Cigna reversed its decision, stating that the transplant was not a standard treatment for lung cancer and that clinical trial coverage was not included in their policy. Despite this setback, Wells’ appeal was eventually granted.
In recent months, Wells had been fighting for the double-lung transplant and received notification of a potential donor, but deteriorating health conditions prevented doctors from proceeding with the surgery. The 59-year-old had been receiving intensive care after being transferred from UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center to Northwestern Medicine in Chicago for a lung transplant clinical study.
A GoFundMe campaign originally created to assist with his medical expenses has now been repurposed to support his family during this difficult time.