U.S. hospital birth may bankrupt Saskatchewan family

A Saskatchewan couple facing bankruptcy after their dream vacation to Hawaii turned into a financial nightmare is now sharing their story in hopes of sparing others from their experience.

Jennifer Huculak and her husband are weighing their options after having their baby in a Hawaiian hospital that left them with a bill for $950,000.

Huculak was six months pregnant when she and her husband travelled to the tropical island last year for a vacation.

Two days into the trip her water broke at the hotel. She was taken to hospital in an air ambulance. Her premature daughter had to spend six weeks in intensive care before they could take her home.

Huculak purchased medical insurance through Blue Cross. She claims she was given assurances she would be covered but found out while in hospital that the insurance company would not cover the bill because of “pre-existing conditions.”

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Huculak disputes that. She was 24 weeks into her pregnancy and received clearance from her doctor to travel.

“I had an ultrasound four days before we flew down there. The doctor said, ‘There is no reason you can’t go to Hawaii. You and your baby are healthy,.’”

“We thought we did everything right. We thought we were covered. We did the doctor’s appointment, we got the OK. We did the Blue Cross thing. It’s kind of a really hard fall when you think that you prepared yourself.”

The couple are now wondering if they’ll have to declare bankruptcy to pay the bill.

Despite everything, Huculak said they’re grateful their daughter is healthy. “We’re very fortunate and we count our blessing that we have a healthy baby but it still hangs over your head every day.”

Huculak said she isn’t looking for pity by sharing her story,. Instead she hopes her cautionary tale encourages people to get the right information before traveling.

“I wish someone would’ve warned me. I wish someone would’ve took me aside and said, ‘Hey, you need to get more information.’”

Blue Cross has not yet responded to paNOW’s request for comment. 

-With files from Chris Carr

news@panow.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow