A Massachusetts woman is facing over $20,000 in medical bills after a bizarre and terrifying encounter with a bat while vacationing in Arizona led her to undergo expensive rabies prevention treatment.
A Bat, a Camera, and a Sudden Scare
Erica Kahn, 33, had been photographing the night sky during a trip to Arizona last August when a bat suddenly flew toward her. In an interview with KFF Health News, she recalled how the bat became trapped between her head and her camera before partially landing in her mouth during the commotion.
Though the incident lasted just seconds and she wasn’t sure if she was bitten, her father—who is a physician—urged her to begin a series of rabies shots out of caution. That decision would soon come with a staggering cost.
Insurance Woes After Sudden Medical Need
At the time of the encounter, Erica had recently been laid off from her job in biomedical engineering and didn’t have active health insurance. She quickly purchased a new policy the day after the incident, hoping it would help offset the cost of the urgent care.
However, she was shocked to learn that the insurance provider refused to cover the treatments, citing a 30-day waiting period before coverage could begin. Over the next several weeks, she received post-exposure rabies vaccinations at medical centers across Arizona, Massachusetts, and Colorado.
Despite her efforts to protect herself, she was left with a total of $20,749 in bills and very little help from her insurer.
“I thought it had to be a mistake,” she told KFF Health News, “but I realized I was being naive.”
Struggling with Medical Debt
Erica has since taken a new job and managed to negotiate down one of the medical bills, while arranging a payment plan for another. She’s still working to appeal the insurance denials and cover the remaining balance.
According to KFF Health News, she did previously have health insurance, but it lapsed following her job loss—leaving her vulnerable to an unexpected and highly unusual emergency.
FAQs
Q: What happened to Erica Kahn?
A bat flew into her mouth while she was photographing the night sky in Arizona.
Q: When did the incident occur?
It happened in August of the previous year.
Q: How much did her treatment cost?
Her medical bills totaled approximately $20,749.
Erica’s story has drawn attention not only for its strange nature but also as a cautionary tale about the high cost of medical care—and the fine print in health insurance policies.
