Talk about adding insult to injury.
A Virginia woman in the throes of a life-threatening allergic reaction was told to cough up hundreds of dollars before a nurse would administer an EpiPen.
“I asked, ‘If I didn’t have the money, would you have just let me die?’ ” Stephanie Rowell recalled in an interview with KFF Health News. “And they said, sorry, that is their policy.”
Like millions of Americans, Rowell, a manager at an agritourism business, doesn’t have health insurance.
The 53-year-old has been without coverage since 2025, when she said she could no longer afford to buy a policy on her own.
The harsh reality of going without protection hit home in July, when a wasp sting at her parents’ house triggered a terrifying cascade of symptoms.
Suddenly, Rowell’s arm felt like it was “on fire.” Her body began to itch profusely while her face swelled and turned red.
She popped a Benadryl and jumped in the car with her father, heading for the nearest emergency room, about 25 minutes away.
But just 10 minutes into the drive, her throat began to tighten. Realizing she couldn’t wait, the pair pulled into a nearby TruHealthNow urgent care center in hopes of getting her treated faster.
Once inside, she told staff she didn’t have health insurance. A nurse practitioner examined her and diagnosed her with anaphylaxis.
The severe, potentially deadly reaction can set in within seconds or minutes of exposure to an allergen, according to the Mayo Clinic.
When it happens, the immune system unleashes a flood of chemicals that can cause blood pressure to plummet and airways to swell, making it difficult — or even impossible — to breathe.
The condition is considered a medical emergency that requires an immediate injection of epinephrine, the medication used in EpiPens, to counteract the reaction and help restore normal breathing.
An estimated 1 to 5 in every 100 Americans have experienced anaphylaxis, which claims about 225 lives each year, according to the Allergy & Asthma Network.
But even after Rowell was diagnosed, she said a medical assistant asked her to pay $400 before the clinic would give her the potentially lifesaving injection.
Stunned, she went to the waiting area to grab her debit card. After receiving the shot, she said, her throat began to loosen and her symptoms quickly eased.
“I thought I was going to die,” Rowell said.
Officials at TruHealthNow, which privately owns and operates eight urgent care centers in Northern Virginia and Maryland, confirmed to KFF Health News that Rowell was asked to pay before staff administered the EpiPen.
But the company’s CEO, Preet Takhar, told the outlet that its policy is to “give the shot and worry about the money later.”
The company maintained that staff had first determined Rowell’s condition was stable and that the payment request came while the injection was being prepared.
“The patient was stable, and that is why we took the payment then,” Manbir Takhar, who is married to Preet Takhar, told KFF Health News, denying that the request for payment delayed Rowell’s treatment.
Federal law generally requires hospital emergency departments to stabilize patients regardless of their ability to pay, but that protection doesn’t necessarily extend to urgent care clinics.
Most aren’t covered by the law unless they’re hospital-owned, according to Barry Furrow, director of the health law program at Drexel University in Philadelphia.
And while urgent care centers offer a range of medical services, they’re not designed to handle life-threatening emergencies — even though patients sometimes turn to them in a crisis.
After receiving the injection, Rowell was monitored by a medical assistant for about 30 minutes before being sent home. Her brother stayed with her to watch for any complications.
“I felt wiped out,” she said, noting that it took several days before she felt completely better.
The frightening ordeal ultimately cost Rowell $605: $400 for the medication, a $40 administration fee and $165 for the urgent care visit.
She said she wasn’t upset about the price itself, but believed she should never have been asked to pay before receiving the epinephrine. She now carries an EpiPen of her own.
News about Rowell’s experience comes as millions of Americans face growing uncertainty over their ability to afford health care.
The number of uninsured working-age adults in the US climbed to 11.2% this year, up from 8.9% in 2024, according to an October analysis by the Commonwealth Fund, a health policy and philanthropic nonprofit.
The increase comes after Congress allowed enhanced federal subsidies that made Obamacare plans more affordable during the pandemic to expire at the end of 2025.
The group’s biennial survey of 7,362 working-age adults found that 46% were uninsured, underinsured or had experienced a gap in their coverage in 2026.
Half said they had delayed or skipped medical care because of the cost, up from 46% in 2022.
And the problem is only expected to grow.
The Commonwealth Fund estimates that 37 million Americans will be uninsured by 2036, roughly the same number as in 2014, when the Affordable Care Act’s changes took effect.

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Florida health officials have confirmed 485 locally acquired cases of dengue fever this year, as the state grapples with its largest outbreak in decades.
Between Oct. 18 and Oct. 24, state surveillance logged 60 new infections, with the Tampa Bay area accounting for roughly 95% of all locally acquired cases recorded statewide, according to the Florida Department of Health.
The surge prompted emergency declarations in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties in late September, allowing for faster purchasing and spraying and requests for state and federal reimbursement. Hillsborough County has since extended its state of local emergency amid ongoing transmission.
DENGUE FEVER OUTBREAK TRIGGERS STATES OF EMERGENCY IN 3 SOUTHERN COUNTIES
The locally acquired infections are separate from more than 300 travel-associated dengue cases reported in Florida this year.
The Florida Mosquito Control Association said mosquito abatement teams are stepping up targeted ground spraying, aerial applications and localized property inspections.
What is dengue fever?
Dengue is a viral illness transmitted primarily through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. The virus can cause fever, severe muscle and joint pain, nausea, rash and, in severe cases, dangerous complications or death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Unlike many mosquito species that bite mostly at dawn and dusk, the mosquitoes carrying dengue feed aggressively during daytime hours and thrive in humid residential environments.
DEADLY MOSQUITO-BORNE VIRUS CLAIMS FIRST LIFE IN MAJOR US CITY AS CASES SPREAD
“The Aedes mosquitoes that can transmit dengue are active during the day and thrive in warm, humid environments like those found in Florida,” an entomologist spokesperson at the SC Johnson Center for Insect Science and Family Health previously told Fox News Digital.
“Staying aware of local mosquito activity and consistently protecting against bites are important steps people can take to help reduce their risk.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
Public health officials emphasize that Aedes mosquitoes are “container breeders,” requiring as little as a tablespoon of standing water to lay eggs. Officials urge residents to inspect yards weekly and drain or cover birdbaths, gutters, planters, discarded tires and outdoor containers.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Health authorities recommend taking the following additional precautions.
Apply EPA-registered repellents: Use insect repellents containing active ingredients such as DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus, following all label directions.
Layer properly: When wearing both sun protection and bug spray, apply sunscreen first and insect repellent second.
Cover exposed skin: Wear loose-fitting, light-colored long sleeves, pants and closed-toe shoes when outdoors.
Eliminate standing water: Regularly empty and scrub any outdoor vessels that hold water.
Most people infected with dengue experience mild or no symptoms, typically recovering within two weeks, according to Mayo Clinic.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
When symptoms do occur, they usually surface four to 10 days after an infectious bite. Severe dengue can progress rapidly within 24 to 48 hours after the initial fever drops.
Warning signs include persistent vomiting, severe abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, mucosal bleeding and extreme lethargy.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

DELTA — A cat found in an area outside of Delta was confirmed to have rabies, the Central Utah Health Department announced on Monday.
The indoor/outdoor pet was suspected of contracting rabies through contact with a wild animal, according to the health department.
“The people and animals who were known to have been exposed are undergoing post exposure treatment and infection control measures,” the health department said.
Rabies is a viral disease that is fatal but can be prevented by vaccinating pets with the rabies vaccine and not approaching stray or wild animals, according to the health department.
“(The disease) can be spread to people and pets through the bites, scratches, and saliva of an infected animal,” the health department said. “Rabies primarily affects the central nervous system, leading to severe brain disease and death if medical care is not received before symptoms start.”
If a pet has been in contact with an animal that might have rabies, the health department advises owners to check for injuries to the pet and to contact a local animal control or veterinarian.

If you have high blood pressure, check your medicine cabinet: More than 3,700 bottles of blood pressure pills have been recalled nationwide.
Macleods Pharmaceuticals first recalled the tablets on Oct. 7 for “failed dissolution specifications,” meaning the drug does not release its active ingredients at a proper rate inside the body. This can lead to the drug being ineffective in treating the condition it’s supposed to − in this case, it may not lower blood pressure as expected.
The Food and Drug Administration rated the recall as Class II on Oct. 26, meaning use of the product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences, but is unlikely to cause serious health issues.
You may know the medication by its popular brand name, Tribenzor. Brand-name Tribenzor is not recalled, but if you are or have been on it and aren’t sure whether you are using a generic version, check to make sure it’s not included in the recall.
Here’s what to know about the exact medication being recalled and what you should do if you have it.
Which blood pressure pills were recalled?
In total, 3,528 of the 30-count bottles and 216 of the 90-count bottles were recalled.
Olmesartan Medoxomil, Amlodipine, and Hydrochlorothiazide Tablets 40 mg/10 mg/12.5mg, 30-count: NDC 33342-246-07, lot number 12251163A, expiration date 05/31/2027.
Olmesartan Medoxomil, Amlodipine, and Hydrochlorothiazide Tablets 40 mg/10 mg/12.5mg, 90-count: NDC 33342-246-10, lot number 12251163B, expiration date 05/31/2027.
What to do with recalled medication
The FDA did not issue a news release for this recall. According to its enforcement report, letters were sent to notify businesses and people who may have the medications.

A disease that health officials have described as the fastest-spreading on record in Africa shows no signs of slowing down, and may soon afflict those outside the continent.
The unprecedented spread of Ebola has resulted in thousands of cases, with Nigeria reporting its first case in more than a decade last month, and additional reports in Kenya and other African countries.
While the majority of cases are currently affecting those in Africa, health experts are warning that the situation could change and countries should start increasing preparedness now.
“We want all countries to know that they are not safe if they don’t take appropriate measures,” Dr. Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), told The Guardian.
Kaseya even compared the outbreak to COVID-19, stating that at the beginning of the pandemic in 2019 and early 2020, “many countries said there was zero risk of being affected, but a few months later, they became the hotspot.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international concern in May after cases were first confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the death toll has surpassed 5,000.
Cases have been linked to the Bundibugyo variant, a less common strain that has a high death rate and no approved treatment or vaccine.
Once a human is infected, the disease spreads through contact with blood, bodily fluids or objects contaminated with infected fluids.
The last outbreak of this strain occurred in 2012 in the Congo, with 57 cases and 29 deaths reported.
The DRC has taken the brunt of the outbreak, reporting more than 10,200 cases and nearly 5,000 deaths.
Meanwhile, Uganda reported 20 cases in May and June and saw two deaths. The country currently has no active Ebola cases.
African health ministers will meet to urge greater cross-border cooperation, while Kaseya hopes screening and testing will be used for people coming from affected regions at points of entry and exit.
“The main message to ministers is that they have to understand they could be affected, and we don’t want them to be surprised by what could happen,” he said.
The only non-African country to have a confirmed case so far is France, when a doctor returned from the DRC in June. The patient recovered and was released from care in early July.
One US citizen was previously confirmed to have contracted the virus and was treated at a Berlin hospital.
Currently, the CDC reports the likelihood of Ebola reaching the US is low, and the agency has issued a new Ebola-related travel requirement intended to reduce the risk of Ebola entering the US.
Starting Nov.3, travelers on international flights to the US will have to confirm that they have not been in the DRC during the previous 21 days, which reflects how long it can take symptoms to appear.
Travelers — including American citizens, green card holders and airline crew members — will have to complete a paper or digital statement before boarding, even if they have never visited the DRC.
Major US and international airline groups are pushing back against the rule, though, asking for more time to prepare and saying the requirement is too broad.
However, Dr. Tyler Evans, a California-based infectious disease physician and CEO of Wellness Equity Alliance, echoed the growing concern around how quickly the disease is spreading.
“This was a step in the right direction, given the fact that we really do have to take this seriously,” Evans told Fox News Digital. “We have to ensure that this does not cross borders.”