BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – In 2019, Florida lawmakers passed SB 426, a law designed to provide cancer benefits for first responders, including firefighters, diagnosed with 21 specific types of cancer.
Despite these protections, some families of fallen firefighters are being denied the benefits they are entitled to.
Teresa Geld’s husband, Jay, served as a firefighter for nearly 40 years, spending 30 of those years with the city of Melbourne.
Diagnosed with pancreatic and testicular cancer, Jay passed away in December 2023.
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Teresa Geld was shocked to discover that despite her husband’s decades of service, she was denied a $75,000 death benefit outlined in the law.
“I don’t even know 100% why I’m being denied these benefits. But it’s obscene. It’s just… it’s not okay,” Teresa Geld said.
Jay received a one-time $25,000 payment after his cancer diagnosis, along with coverage for his treatment, as mandated by the law.
But when Teresa filed for the death benefit after his passing, the city’s insurance provider denied the claim.
“I was angry. I was extremely angry,” Teresa Geld said. “For 30 years, he worked for a department that he gave everything to. And it’s just being denied without any real good explanation.”
Ryan Young, president of Melbourne’s Professional Firefighters Union, says cases like Jay’s are becoming alarmingly common.
“We’ve always, as a union, taken the stance that the benefits should be paid,” Young said. “We want people to understand what’s going on.”
Attorney Geoff Bichler, who represents firefighter families across the state, echoed Young’s concerns.
“I was not shocked because we’ve seen this all over the state now,” Bichler said. “The widows are not getting paid the benefit they’re entitled to for a variety of reasons, based primarily on ambiguities in the statute.”
The law, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2019, was intended to ease the financial burden on firefighters and their families by providing cancer-related benefits.
However, advocates argue that unclear language in the statute is giving insurance providers and municipalities the leeway to deny claims.
Jay’s name is honored on memorials for fallen firefighters, yet his wife continues to fight for the benefits she believes he earned.
“If we don’t fight for it, then this is just going to become a bigger problem,” Teresa Geld said.
State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis’ office issued a statement in response to Teresa Geld’s story, “Throughout his time in office, CFO and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis has fought diligently to give Florida’s dedicated firefighters access to the cancer benefits they deserve. The department is aware of this situation and is monitoring it closely.”
For widows like Teresa, the battle for benefits is a painful reminder of the sacrifices their spouses made in service to their communities.
It’s also a call to action for changes that ensure others won’t face the same struggles.
New 6 will continue to follow this.
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