Robert Sory feeds a treat to a blind, albino raccoon named Cricket. Russian foxes, African porcupines, emus, bobcats, and goats are also part of his menagerie.(Blake Farmer/WPLN)
It’s feeding time for the animals on this property outside Nashville, Tennessee. An albino raccoon named Cricket reaches through the wires of its cage to grab an animal cracker, an appetizer treat right before the evening meal.
“Cricket is blind,” said Robert Sory, who is trying to open a nonprofit animal sanctuary along with his wife, Emily. “A lot of our animals come to us with issues.”
The menagerie in Thompson’s Station includes Russian foxes, African porcupines, emus, bobcats, and some well-fed goats.
The Sorys are passionate about their pets and seem to put the animals’ needs before their own.
Both Robert and Emily started 2026 without health insurance.
Robert had been covered through a marketplace plan subsidized through the Affordable Care Act. His share of the monthly premiums was $0. When he looked up the rates for 2026, he saw that a barebones “bronze”-level plan would cost him at least $70 a month. He decided to forgo coverage altogether.
“When you don’t have any income coming in, it doesn’t matter how cheap it is,” he said. “It’s not affordable.”
Emily and Robert Sory are trying to open a nonprofit animal sanctuary at their home in Thompson’s Station, Tennessee. They have forgone health insurance this year and are looking for ways to pay for their care without coverage. (Blake Farmer/WPLN)
Dumping Coverage
Marketplace plans from the Affordable Care Act no longer feel very affordable to many people, because Congress did not extend a package of enhanced subsidies that expired at the end of 2025. An estimated 4.8 million will go without coverage this year.
But even without a health plan, people will still need medical care. Many, like the Sorys, have been thinking through their plan B to maintain their health.
The Sorys both lost jobs in November, within days of each other. Robert worked as a farmhand. Emily worked at a staffing firm and lost her insurance along with her position.
“It’s a horrible, horrible market right now. Really tough,” she said.
The first time she had to pay out-of-pocket for her three monthly prescriptions, the cost was $184.
“To equate that to kind of how we think about it, you’re talking about 350 pounds of food for these animals,” Robert said. He pointed to his bobcats, who eat only meat.
A bobcat waits for a meaty meal served by Robert Sory.(Blake Farmer/WPLN)
Workarounds for the Newly Uninsured
To keep kibble in the food bowls, the Sorys are prepping for an uninsured future. They see the same psychiatrist and met with him to make a plan. He was willing to work with them by charging $125 per visit. They’ll have to go every three months to keep their prescriptions current.
And if other medical problems emerge? They’re hoping for the best.
“I’m not somebody who gets sick super often, thank God,” Robert said. “And if I do, generally I go to an emergency room where they’re going to bill me later.” Robert said he would arrange a repayment plan for bills like that.
Emily has costly health conditions and has already taken on substantial medical debt. “It’s just sitting there, and I’ve racked up money,” she said. “But I’ve had to go to the doctor.”
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