A Canadian woman is faced with a million-dollar medical bill even though she bought travel insurance before giving birth abroad. Canadians often travel to warmer climes when the weather gets cold and are routinely advised to buy special insurance to cover any medical costs they might incur while away.
That’s what Jennifer Huculak-Kimmel did before going to Hawaii in November 2013 for one week’s vacation. She was six months pregnant and told CBC news she met with her doctor and the Blue Cross insurance company before the trip. After buying a policy she thought she was covered for potential medical expenses.
In Hawii, Huculak-Kimmel’s water broke early and she was ordered on bed rest for six weeks before she had an emergency C-section. She spent just over two months in hospital in total. Baby Reese, being nine weeks premature, needed two months of special care.
‘Pre-existing conditions’ not covered
Huclulak-Kimmel says the insurance company told her that because she had had a bladder infection when she was four months pregnant and had hemorrhaged, she was not covered because that was considered to be “a pre-existing condition.” A letter from Blue Cross indicated her insurance had expired Nov. 9, 2013, and that there was no coverage for the baby.
Huclulak-Kimmel could fight the matter in court but lawyers are expensive. Canadians have public health insurance at home, so she is entitled to about $20,000 from that plan. But there is no way she can afford to pay the rest.
Blue Cross did not immediately respond to an interview request from the public broadcaster, CBC.
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