Saturday Insurance Approval Cleared Way for Life-Saving Heart Transplant

GEORGIA – A Georgia man in need of an emergency heart transplant was added to the transplant waiting list after a state senator intervened with his insurance company, a sequence of events that ultimately led to him receiving a donated heart later that same day, according to an investigation by Kaitlyn Ross of 11Alive News.

Seth Potts was critically ill and in need of a heart transplant when doctors told his family he had approximately 48 hours to live, according to Ross’ reporting.

Although Potts’ transplant paperwork had been submitted, he had not yet been officially listed because his insurance company had not approved the procedure.

Potts’ wife, Brittany, spent hours contacting the insurance company and was reportedly told that approval would not come until Monday.

The situation changed Saturday morning when Georgia state Sen. Bo Hatchett contacted Brittany from his personal cellphone. The two did not previously know one another, according to Ross.

Brittany explained the severity of Seth’s condition and the urgency of getting him listed for a transplant.

Not long afterward, the family received word from the insurance company that Seth’s listing had been approved.

A transplant coordinator at Piedmont later told Brittany that she had never listed a patient for a transplant on a Saturday, according to Ross’ report.

The timing became particularly significant when Hunter Swafford died that same Saturday and his organs were donated.

Swafford’s heart was subsequently matched with Potts, who received the transplant.

Brittany told media that she believes Seth would not have survived if he had not been placed on the transplant list that Saturday. She also said he likely would not have received Swafford’s heart.

The case has brought together two families whose circumstances were connected through organ donation. Swafford’s family chose to donate his organs following his death, while Potts received his heart as part of the transplant process.

The reporting on this story examines the circumstances surrounding Potts’ transplant, Swafford’s death and donation, and the connection between the two families.

The original report was published by Kaitlyn Ross of 11Alive News, who continues to report on the families and the events surrounding the transplant.