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Bat flies into Mass. woman’s mouth, leaving her with $21,000 medical bill

By Veronica Haynes

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    BOSTON (WCVB) — A Massachusetts woman is facing a five-figure medical bill after a bat flew into her mouth during a stargazing trip in Arizona last August.

Erica Kahn said she was not bitten, but her father, a doctor, insisted she receive a rabies shot immediately.

Kahn had recently lost her job and was without insurance at the time. She signed up for new coverage but did not realize it had a 30-day waiting period, leaving her responsible for a bill of over $20,000.

“I was traveling, so I went to four different hospitals over the course of my four rabies shots. So now, I have my close to $21,000 bill,” Kahn said.

Kahn was able to negotiate some of the costs down and is appealing to get the rest covered.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while the chances of contracting rabies are extremely low, 70% of people who die from rabies were infected by bats.

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Article Topic Follows: CNN - Regional

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