JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As the unemployment rate has skyrocketed as a result of the pandemic, so has the rate of uninsured Americans.
According to Quote Wizard researcher Adam Johnson, 25% of Floridians are uninsured.
“I have never been without health insurance,” said Tonya Quarles, who was furloughed. “I never knew it would be like this.”
A few weeks after losing her health insurance, Quarles went to the doctor for passing out recently. While there, the doctors talked her into getting a mammogram, she said.
“They came in and said we have no doubt you have breast cancer,” Quarles said.
Quarles said the doctors found three lumps under her left breast.
Doctors advised Quarles to make an appointment to have a biopsy done to figure out what stage of breast cancer she had, but she couldn’t afford a follow-up visit.
“I’m scared. I’m really scared,” Quarles said. “I’m not ready and I don’t know what to do.”
On top of the diagnosis, Quarles is having trouble getting her unemployment payments from the Department of Economic Opportunity. Bills have stacked up in the process.
“I got an eviction notice from my landlord and he said he doesn’t care what the governor said. He would change the locks, keep everything in the house, my dogs everything,” Quarles said.
Quarles had to choose to either keep her home or attempt to fight breast cancer. She left her home to live with a friend momentarily.
Currently, she doesn’t have enough money for any more doctor visits and absolutely not enough for any treatment.
“I eat once a day just so I can save just a little bit of money,” Quarles said. “I never knew it was going to be like this.”
Although Quarles feels alone, she is not the only one enduring this crisis.
“We found Florida to be the 11th highest when it comes to being uninsured,” Johnson said.
Kristy Albritton has also found herself struggling after losing her job, struggling to get paid by DEO and lacking insurance.
Albritton’s daughter has epilepsy.
Albritton said paying for medication for her daughter is tough, but the entire family chips in to make sure she gets it. It just hurts Albritton that at the moment, she cannot contribute.
Albritton was able to connect to Epilepsy Florida, a foundation helping Floridians with epilepsy. The organization said it will provide for medical services and help with medication costs for Albritton’s daughter.
Both Albritton and Quarles say fighting the DEO and medical battles make them feel alone, but they are far from it, and that’s a severe state-wide issue.