Connecticut man to receive lifesaving surgery after being denied insurance coverage three times

After being denied insurance coverage three times, a Connecticut man is on his way to receiving lifesaving surgery following the Office of the State Comptroller's decision to reverse the latest denial.

State Comptroller Sean Scanlon said he first was informed last week about the man having been denied insurance coverage for the surgery. Calling it "a unique case in many different regards," he said the man was seeking "a rare and unique surgery" for a "unique" injury.

On Oct. 31, 2025, Connecticut resident Justin Oswell suffered "a sudden medical emergency that doctors said had only a 10% chance of survival," according to the GoFundMe page created by his sister Carly Taylor. While Oswell beat the odds, the medical emergency took a major toll on his body, rendering him out of work to focus on his recovery, the GoFundMe page states.

Over the course of more than 14 years, Oswell had battled some of "the most complex medical issues and medical mysteries," most of which stemmed from his survival from a near-fatal snowmobile accident in 2001, the GoFundMe page states. These medical issues led to repeated hospitalizations, ongoing medical appointments and necessary travel for care, which, in turn, resulted in increased expenses for his family and decreased income, according to the GoFundMe page.

The online fundraiser had raised more than $43,000 through 418 donors as of Tuesday morning.

Oswell's family was informed during an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic this past March that a multivisceral transplant was the "only way to save his life," according to the GoFundMe page. Through this procedure, Oswell would receive a liver, pancreas and intestinal transplant all at once, and all the organs would come from a single donor, the GoFundMe page states.

In addition to going through a "long and detailed" evaluation process to receive approval for surgery, Oswell's family faced the challenge of temporarily relocating to Cleveland so he could receive the surgery, according to the GoFundMe page.

If he were to receive the transplant, Oswell would spend a few months in the intensive care unit, followed by at least six months of living in Cleveland so the transplant team can monitor him closely, the GoFundMe page states. 

"One of the biggest requirements is that Justin can never be alone after surgery," Taylor said on the GoFundMe page. "He will require 24/7 care the entire time he is in Cleveland. In order for him to even be approved for the transplant list, we must provide the transplant team with a list of family and friends who are willing and able to travel to Cleveland, stay with him around the clock, help him get to appointments, monitor for signs of organ rejection, and monitor his medications."

The Cleveland Clinic presented Oswell's case to the transplant board for approval and placement on the transplant list this past June, according to the GoFundMe page. Oswell's transplant team held a peer-to-peer hearing with his insurance company's physician to explain why the surgery was necessary, but insurance coverage was denied, the GoFundMe page states.

After insurance coverage was denied a third time, Renee Oswell, Justin Oswell's wife, stated on the GoFundMe page that their next step was to request an external review through the state of Connecticut.

Scanlon said 250,000 Connecticut residents currently are covered under the state employee health plan he oversees. In more than three years as state comptroller, he said there have been a couple of times in which his office has reversed a decision to deny insurance coverage.

"In unique cases like this, they rise to my office," Scanlon said, "and at the end of the day, the buck stops with me, and I have the ability to make decisions that can override decisions made by our partners that run the health plan on our behalf."

"In this case, the best decision is to try to save a life," he said. "The health of our members is very important to me, and I'm glad to help this gentleman who is a husband and a father to get the care he needs to stay alive."

Following the state comptroller's decision to overturn the denial, Renee Oswell said Monday on the GoFundMe page that they are letting her husband's clinical team know he is set for the transplant list and insurance will be approved. She said her husband will be sent to Cleveland by air ambulance so his team can care for him, "so this is the perfect time to get the call of approval."

"Thank you for fighting for us," Renee Oswell said on the GoFundMe page. "All the love and support from everyone has truly been uplifting. ... A huge weight just got lifted off our shoulders and now we can move on to figure out the plans and financials for the big surgery!"

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