Woman faces more than $20,000 in medical bills after wild bat flies into her mouth
In August last year, Erica Kahn, 33, was taking photos of the sky in Arizona when a bat got stuck between her head and the camera, and partially entered her mouth as she screamed, according to KFF Health News.
Her doctor father urged her to get a number of rabies vaccinations, even though Kahn doesn't believe the bat bit her. She told the outlet she had recently been forced to leave her biomedical engineering job and purchased a health insurance policy online the day after the bat flew into her mouth to help with the treatments in Arizona, Massachusetts, and Colorado.
But the insurance company rejected paying for the treatments and pointed to a 30-day waiting period.
Kahn believed she would be covered as long as she got insurance before going to the hospital in Flagstaff, Arizona, noting that she called the company before she bought the policy and that she was told services connected to an accident or 'life-threatening' emergency would be covered.
'The required waiting period for this service has not been met,' said the company. After being treated at four different treatment centers, she faced bills of $20,749.
'I thought it must have been a mistake,' she told KFF. 'I guess I was naive.'
The outlet noted that Kahn has since acquired a new job, negotiated down one of the bills, put in place a payment plan for another, and is in the appeals process for the rest.
She said she regrets allowing gaps in her healthcare coverage after she lost her job.
'That's a very big lesson I learned the hard way,' said Kahn, who still looks back at the incident with a sense of humor.
'I know what bats taste like now. It's an earthy, sweet kind of flavor,' she told KFF.
'It's actually a pretty funny story — if it weren't for the horrible medical bill that came with it.'
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
9 minutes ago
- CNN
4 killed in medical transport plane crash on Navajo Nation, tribal authorities say
Four people were killed Tuesday when a medical transport plane crashed on Navajo Nation land in Arizona, according to tribal police. 'The small aircraft was enroute to pick up a patient from a nearby hospital, when the crash occurred,' Navajo Nation Police said on Facebook. The accident took place around 12:40 p.m. near Chinle, Arizona, according to police. 'We extend our deepest condolences to their family and loved ones during this time,' Navajo Police said. The plane was a Beechcraft 300, the National Transportation Safety Board said. 'NTSB investigators are en route to the scene (and) expected to start arriving tonight. Once on site, the investigators will begin the process of documenting the scene and examining the aircraft. The aircraft will then be recovered to a secure facility for further evaluation,' Sarah Taylor Sulick, a spokesperson for the NTSB, told CNN. CNN has reached out to the medical transport company for comment.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
4 dead after medical transport plane crashes while landing: Authorities
Four people were killed when a medical transport plane crashed and caught fire in Arizona, authorities said. The Beechcraft 300 crashed Tuesday afternoon while landing at the Chinle Municipal Airport, in the Navajo Nation, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The aircraft was en route to pick up a patient from a nearby hospital at the time, according to the Navajo Police Department. All four people on board the plane died, police said. MORE: 7 injured after small plane crashes into car in Florida The cause of the crash is unknown at this time, police said. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. The dual-propellor medical transport plane was owned by CSI Aviation, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, police said. "This is a tragic loss to the families of those onboard and to medical air and first responder community," the Navajo Police Department said in a statement. MORE: NTSB chair blasts FAA over deadly DC crash: 'Are you kidding me? 67 people are dead' All access to the airport is currently closed due to the investigation, police said.
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Dangerous bacteria closes 6 ponds in Plymouth, Massachusetts: "Looks like pea soup"
Several ponds that are typically packed with people in Plymouth, Massachusetts are completely empty because they are filled with dangerous bacteria. No boaters, no swimmers. No beachgoers. All because of cyanobacteria bloom also called blue-green algae in the water. Karen Keane is the Public Health Director for the town of Plymouth. "They can get very sick, they have gastrointestinal illness, so upset stomach, diarrhea. Dogs especially can get very, very sick," Keane said. She said a total of six ponds have a cyanobacteria bloom. "What that means is the level of cyanobacteria has risen to a level that's unsafe to swim in," Keane said. The town has posted an advisory to let folks know to keep out of the water because it could cause harm to both people and pets. Rosemary Conlon's backyard is Billington Sea, one of the pond's that has the bacteria. "We live for this time of year. We have 10 grandkids so they come over and they can't do anything right now," she said. Along with Billington Sea, Russell Mill Pond, Great Herring Pond, Big Sandy Pond, Clear Pond and Little Herring Pond all have the cyanobacteria bloom. "Things like jet skis, boating, things like that. We also tell folks to stay away from that because you can also inhale the bacteria when the water splashes on you using these water vehicles," Keane said. There are still plenty of other ponds for folks to enjoy this amazing stretch of summer weather, but town officials urge people to be on the lookout. "If you see what you think to be a cyanobacteria bloom, looks like pea soup on top of the water, at a water body that you frequent, please notify our office," Keane said.
