A Massachusetts woman is facing more than $20,000 (£16,000) in medical bills after a bat flew into her mouth while she was on holiday in Arizona. Erica Kahn, 33, was taking photos of the sky in August last year when a bat became trapped between her head and camera, partially entering her mouth as she screamed.
Despite not believing the bat bit her, Kahn's doctor father advised her to receive rabies vaccinations. She had recently lost her job in biomedical engineering and purchased health insurance the day after the incident, hoping it would cover the treatments in Arizona, Massachusetts, and Colorado.
However, the insurance company refused to pay, citing a 30-day waiting period. Kahn had been told by the company that services related to accidents or life-threatening emergencies would be covered, but the insurer stated: 'The required waiting period for this service has not been met.' After treatment at four centres, she faced bills totalling $20,749.
Kahn has since found a new job, negotiated down one bill, set up a payment plan for another, and is appealing the rest. She regrets the gap in her healthcare coverage, calling it 'a very big lesson I learned the hard way.' Despite the ordeal, she retains a sense of humour, saying: 'I know what bats taste like now. It’s an earthy, sweet kind of flavour.'
