OCALA, Fla — A 14-month-old boy who needed a potentially life-saving procedure suddenly had his insurance coverage cut.
Meghann Mendez, of Ocala, was left worried her son Shae may not get the care he needed.
Mendez said, “They’re just leaving me stuck, and I can’t be stuck because my son’s life is depending on it.”
Shae Mendez was scheduled for a stem-cell transplant January 5th, 2026, but about a month earlier his mom learned the Medicaid coverage he had through Florida’s Department of Children and Families ended.
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It appears it had to do with his location. In May, Shae was sent to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania because he needed specialized treatment. After his mom questioned his lack of coverage in December, she said DCF let her know he had been out of state too long.
Watching Shae Mendez interact with others, you might never know behind his curiosity and smiles, he’s in a battle for this life.
His mother said, “He’s the most fun, loving, cuddly boy. He’s very social.”
Meghann Mendez said signs of trouble started 14-months ago. Almost immediately after Shae was born, the medical team saw gas and fluid in his belly. Even a surgery didn’t solve the problem.
“He wasn’t pooping, he was getting severely dehydrated, wasn’t eating,” Mendez told Action 9 Consumer Investigator Jeff Deal.
Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando tried a few more procedures before full scale genetic testing determined he had what’s called a FOXP3 mutation which can cause a severe life-threatening autoimmune disorder.
Mendez said, “It’s a one in a million genetic disorder or syndrome.”
With help from Nemours, they found Shae a bed at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where he’s received specialized treatment since May. His care was approved by insurance. Shae was under a Medicaid program with eligibility determined by Florida’s Department of Children and Families.
A few months ago, a stem-cell transplant was scheduled for January 5th, 2026. In early December, Shae’s family learned his Medicaid coverage ended November 30th, 2025. Meghann Mendez said DCF told her it was because her son had been out of Florida too long and she needed to apply in Pennsylvania even though she and her husband are Florida residents.
In mid-December, she told Action 9, “They’re just giving me the run around. I keep calling DCF, and I’ve called them maybe over 30-40 times over the past few days.”
She was worried it could put the planned procedure in jeopardy and ultimately put Shae’s life in jeopardy.
“It’s really disheartening, and it’s like, my son doesn’t matter, and his life doesn’t matter,” she said.
But after she reached out to Florida Congresswoman Kat Cammack and Action 9 went to DCF with questions about it, she got some good news. Shae’s coverage was reinstated which helped keep his potentially life-saving transplant on schedule.
DCF told Action 9 it would look into the situation, but so far hasn’t explained why Shae’s coverage was cut and later reinstated after his mom turned to Action 9.
Meghann Mendez said she’s happy she doesn’t have to worry about the insurance anymore and can just focus on being there for her son.
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