Palm City Family Faces Insurance Uncertainty for Baby’s Care

A family in Palm City is grappling with uncertainty regarding their baby girl’s medical care amid concerning news about insurance coverage.

At a recent community meeting titled “Let’s Hear It,” Jessica and Tyler Obenauf expressed their worries, particularly after Tyler received a letter on November 1, 2025. The letter warned that changes to his insurance coverage might be on the horizon.

The communication disclosed that members of Florida Blue could potentially lose access to Cleveland Clinic, one of the largest health systems in the U.S., if contract negotiations fail by March 1, 2026.

When asked about the implications of a three-month wait, Jessica responded candidly, “It’s unfortunate.”

She went on to share that the news was quite a shock, especially since their family has depended on Florida Blue for years, which they believed was a reliable choice. “I always thought that was the best insurance to have,” Jessica said.

Their nine-month-old daughter, Cora, diagnosed with torticollis, currently requires physical therapy, a service that is covered under their existing plan. Jessica voiced her concerns, stating, “I don’t want to think about having to find another therapist. I really hope we don’t have to.”

If the family has to switch providers, it could mean traveling significant distances for therapy, which places an additional burden on them. Tyler pointed out, “If we had to uproot and go to physical therapy somewhere else—like Jupiter, West Palm, or even Fort Pierce—that’s just an added stress.”

The couple believes that stalled negotiations between Florida Blue and Cleveland Clinic are causing them unnecessary distress. “They can afford to shoulder that debt,” Tyler noted. “We’ve endured enough.”

Negotiation schedules appear to differ. The current contract supposedly guarantees members access until at least May 2026, as claimed by Cleveland Clinic. However, it could potentially end as early as March 1, 2026, if no agreement is reached, which would then remove the hospital from the network.

Should this happen, over 150,000 Florida Blue policyholders would be impacted. For the Obenaufs, the main hope is to reach an agreement soon so their daughter can continue receiving care close to home.