Vacations and pregnancies tend to be expensive on their own, but when they come together unexpectedly it can apparently lead to a hefty medical bill.
When Saskatchewan resident, Jennifer Huculak, and her husband unexpectedly gave birth on their vacation in Hawaii, they received a bill they couldn’t afford.
The birth came nine weeks premature of her due date, and the child was placed in intensive care for two months. Huculak required six weeks of bed rest in a Hawaiian hospital, as well, compounded their expenses. Her Blue Cross medical insurance didn’t cover any of her expenses during her stay, and by the time she left the hospital, she incurred a $1 million medical bill.
She told CTV Saskatoon:
“It makes you sick to your stomach. Who can pay a million-dollar medical bill? Who can afford that?”
CTV News cited a letter the insurance agency sent to Huculak, noting that she “was diagnosed and treated for a high-risk pregnancy in the six months prior to departure.”
Huculak said that it was a simple bladder infection that led to bleeding, butBlue Cross claims that as a preexisting condition, it nullifies her insurance.
This family is only one of many; there are several cases of Canadian families getting stuck with bills from the U.S. due to either lack of insurance or insurance that is not recognized. This family has not given up, and they’ve refused to pay as they dispute the legitimacy of the charges.
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