Bat Incident Costs Woman Nearly $21,000 in Medical Bills

A bizarre incident involving a bat flying into the mouth of a woman during a vacation in Arizona has resulted in medical bills nearing $21,000. Erica Kahn, now 33, experienced this unusual encounter while visiting the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in August 2022.

Kahn, who had recently lost her job as a biomedical engineer, was taking photographs of the night sky when the bat unexpectedly approached her. “It was kind of dark out and we were out on a cliff, so I was looking down at my camera and didn’t really see it coming,” Kahn recounted. The bat became entangled between her face and the camera, leading to a brief but alarming moment when part of the animal entered her mouth.

Following the incident, Kahn’s travel partner and father, who is a doctor, urged her to seek medical advice regarding potential rabies exposure. Despite feeling no symptoms, Kahn recognized the importance of precaution. Prior to her trip, she had opted not to continue her former employer’s insurance plan, which would have cost her $650 a month under the federal COBRA program. Instead, she decided to purchase a private health insurance policy online, believing she could manage in case of emergency.

However, Kahn soon discovered that her new insurance policy included a 30-day waiting period before coverage would take effect. As a result, she faced significant medical bills totaling $20,749 for rabies vaccinations and treatment received across multiple states, including Arizona, Colorado, and Massachusetts.

“I felt so powerless against these companies,” Kahn expressed. “It should be a human right to have lifesaving care covered. In most other countries, like in Europe, you just go to the hospital, get your rabies vaccines, and pay nothing.”

Sabrina Corlette, co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University, explained that most insurance plans activate on the first of the month after enrollment. “Insurance companies— for good reason— don’t want people to wait to sign up for coverage until they are sick,” Corlette stated.

Though Kahn has since secured employment and health insurance, the financial burden of the incident continues to weigh heavily on her. Reflecting on her decision not to enroll in COBRA, she acknowledged, “I should have done COBRA, even though it was very expensive.”

The substantial medical expenses have forced Kahn to reconsider future vacations and delay home improvements, such as installing central air conditioning. Despite the challenges, she hopes her experience serves as a warning to others. “It was my fault. I took the risk of not doing COBRA, and that’s forever on me,” she said. “But if one person gets covered because they saw this story, then I would be happy about that.”