PHOENIX — A Massachusetts woman, Erica Kahn, incurred nearly $20,000 in medical bills after a bat flew into her mouth while she was on vacation in Arizona.
The incident occurred at Horseshoe Bend, where Kahn was taking nighttime photographs with her father. Despite not being bitten, she required rabies shots, which led to the hefty medical expenses.
“I screamed the loudest I’ve ever screamed,” Kahn said about the incident. “It was a freak accident.”
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Kahn was in Arizona to explore national parks and engage in astrophotography with her father. While taking pictures at Horseshoe Bend, she noticed bats flying overhead.
“And we kind of heard and saw some bats flying around. I never would have thought that one would fly into my face,” Kahn said.
Unexpectedly, one bat flew into her face and got stuck between her mouth and the camera. Her natural reaction was to scream, and it went into her mouth.
Her father, a doctor, advised her to seek immediate medical attention for rabies shots. However, Kahn faced financial challenges as she did not have health insurance at the time, having lost her job months before and opted out of the federal COBRA plan due to its cost.
Kahn visited four hospitals to complete her rabies treatment, which resulted in medical bills totaling close to $21,000. She expressed regret over not securing insurance sooner, acknowledging the financial burden of her decision.
To manage the expenses, Kahn has negotiated to lower some of her medical bills and appealed to have the costs covered. Additionally, she has set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for the bills.
Kahn’s experience serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of health insurance, especially when traveling. She now advises others to be prepared for unexpected events and is taking steps to mitigate her financial situation.
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