Tourist hit with steep bill after AZ bat incident
A Massachusetts woman got more than she bargained during her trip to Arizona. During her trip, a bat flew into her mouth, but that was just the beginning of her problems. FOX 10’s Nicole Krasean has more.
PHOENIX – A Massachusetts woman got more than she bargained for on a trip to northern Arizona when a bat flew into her mouth, and that was just the beginning of her problems.
The backstory:
Erica Kahn and her father visited northern Arizona in August 2024.
“We like to take photos of the night sky and the stars, and it’s something we’ve been doing for the past 10 years now, but this was the first time this incident occurred,” said Kahn.
Kahn’s trip took a drastic turn when a bat ended up flying into her face.
“I had my strap around my camera around my head so that it wouldn’t fall down, and because of that, it kind of got trapped between my mouth and the camera,” she said. “I don’t know what part of the bat went into my mouth, maybe the wing, the head, I don’t know.”
What Happened Next:
Kahn works in the medical field, so she knew the risk. She knew that she needed to get checked for rabies immediately.
Kahn, however, lost her health insurance after losing her job, but she signed up for a health plan with a firm called “Innovative Partners.” She was shocked to find the rabies treatment she received wasn’t covered.
“They kind of lied to me on the phone when I said, ‘I need to go to the emergency room, like, tomorrow. Is this gonna be effective? Is this gonna cover if I need rabies shots?’ And she said, ‘Yes, yes, it’s gonna cover it. You’re good to go,’” Kahn said.
What they didn’t tell her was there is a 30-day waiting period for the coverage to kick in, and Kahn ended up footing a bill of over $20,000.
It should also be noted that California’s Department of Insurance recently sent a cease and desist to Innovative Partners for what they call a scheme involving the sale of misleading healthcare insurance.
The other side:
The company has not responded to a request for comment on Kahn’s case, which she’s still fighting through speaking out.
“Our healthcare system is so broken and that’s why I’m kind of happy to take these interviews,” she said. “I want to shine a light that this should not be the cost of getting a life-saving rabies vaccine.”
Are bats common in Arizona?
Bats can be seen in Arizona, and bat-related incidents have also happened within the state.
Big picture view:
In 2019, a rabies-infected bat scratched the hand of 21-year-old Nick Major while he was outside one day in Canada. Major developed symptoms of rabies weeks later and then died. Arizona Game and Fish says encounters with bats can happen year-round.
In October 2024, several Northern Arizona University students were treated for rabies, after bats infested a dormitory.
On the night of Aug. 1, a cauldron of bats showed up on weather radar, flying from Phoenix Mountains Preserve.
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