‘Cancer does not wait.’ Why does a Miami family have to litigate for treatment? | Opinion

Delay. Deny. Defend.

That is what my family faced after my father, Pablo Langesfeld, was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

His treating oncologists recommended a treatment they believe is medically necessary. Like many Americans, we assumed that having insurance and paying significant premiums would mean access to the care he needs. Instead, we were met with denials at the moment we needed coverage the most.

Cancer does not wait. Every day matters, yet his health is now tied up in a legal battle in Miami-Dade County circuit court that takes time and energy he simply does not have.

No family should have to fight this hard for approval of treatment advised by their own doctors. This has caused my father and our family immense and ongoing physical, emotional and mental stress at a time when he should be focused solely on his health and recovery.

It is extremely difficult to sit in a courtroom and hear arguments about my father’s medical care in front of a jury and a judge, knowing that decisions like these can determine whether someone receives treatment.

In our case, we are still waiting to learn whether that treatment will be covered. The time this process takes highlights a deeper issue: time is critical, and every day without treatment matters.

Florida is home to some of the nation’s leading medical institutions and specialists. Yet access to required care still depends on processes that take time many do not have. For those facing serious diagnoses, delays and denials directly impact treatment timelines and outcomes could be detrimental.

Unfortunately, his circumstances are not unique. Across Florida and the rest of the country, families are forced to fight for care their doctors deem medically necessary while facing life-threatening conditions.

No one wants to rely on insurance. But when they do, it should not be this difficult to get the care they need.

Most people do not have the time, resources or physical ability to take legal action. It’s overwhelming, stressful and adds another burden to families already facing so much. Many are left to accept the denials, which they may not fully understand while dealing with the weight of a serious illness. That reality should concern everyone, because access to care can depend not just on medical need, but on the ability to fight for it. This is not how it should be.

Insurance policies are typically chosen when people are healthy, without knowing what illness they may face or what treatment their doctors may later prescribe. When that moment comes, decisions about care and medication should be made by the patient’s treating doctors, not by people who do not know the full medical picture or have never evaluated the patient.

This healthcare issue is much broader than one case or one family. It reflects a systemic challenge and issue affecting millions of people across our city, state, and nation. No one should have to navigate a system like this while facing a serious illness. This is where leadership matters. Lawmakers in Tallahassee and Washington must act to ensure people can access the care their doctors recommend — without delay.

This raises a simple question: is our healthcare system designed to benefit insurance companies or to help those fighting for their lives?

Martin Langesfeld, a Miami native, is a commercial real estate broker and community advocate.

This story was originally published April 10, 2026 at 9:15 AM.