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sweeby

Totally OT - Bats in the House

sweeby
17 years ago

We've had an interesting situation unfold in our under-renovation house over the past few days. My younger son was (IS) so excited about it that he wrote a story and insisted I had to share it with the whole world. Thanks in advance to my Kitchen Forum buddies ;o)

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A Bat in JohnÂs Room

By John

One Thursday night in July, at 3:00 in the morning, I saw something flying around in my room. It looked like a great big bug. I went up to tell mom and dad, but mom was asleep and told me to go back to bed. The next morning, it was light and I didnÂt see anything. The bug was gone.

The next night, when I was making a little picture book, I saw the giant bug again. But it wasnÂt a bug. It was a bat!

I went to tell my dad, and when he saw the bat, he closed the doors, and told me to get my mom. I got mom, and she came downstairs and saw the bat flying around. Dad opened the door so the bat could fly away outside, but it didnÂt leave. So dad got a net and caught the bat and put it outside.

The end. Based on a true story.

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Comments (40)

  • claire_de_luna
    17 years ago

    That's pretty cute. How old is he?

    I've been trying to attract bats for a couple of years, by putting up a bat house. I think outside is the best place for them though!

  • rococogurl
    17 years ago

    Sweeby, your son's story is adorable.

    Claire, the next time we have bats in our house you can come catch em and take them home. It's a horrible experience. Thank heaven DH lived in Asian and isn't afraid of them. Another friend of mine found one in her bedroom while her DH was out of town and he had to drive back in the middle of the night to get it out of there.

    I was told to put in bat houses to help with the mosquitos but I prefer dragonflies. Twice is enough with bats.

  • sweeby
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thanks Claire & Rococo -- He's 10, and still full of childish enthusiasm.

    Frankly, I'm glad to have bats in the area, as mosquitos are a problem. Of course, I'd prefer they not actually be inside the house... I just hope they don't take up residence before we can get all the holes sealed.

  • bill_vincent
    17 years ago

    It can definitely liven up a dull evening!! We went thru that last summer, on one night, having as many as four come in!! They don't bother me as much as they do my wife, who absolutely FREAKS!! On that note, it was a good thing it was me, and not her, one evening, going in to take a shower, getting the water up to temperature, and climbing it, closing the shower cutain behind me, only to find there was a bat hanging from it, and IT went nuts when I closed him and me into the shower. I won't even tell you some of the obscenities that came out of MY mouth!!

  • paigect
    17 years ago

    Sweeby, I don't mean to freak you out, but I think you should speak to your pediatrician.

    Bats carry rabies. In the outdoors this is generally not a problem since they leave humans alone. But indoors is a different story. Many times, bats who get trapped indoors are not too healthy to begin with. There have been reported cases in the not-too-distant past of people waking up to bats in their bedrooms, getting them out, thinking their problems were over and later contracting rabies, which is incurable. Bat bites are not obvious or even always detectable. There was a case like this in NJ sometime in the last 8 years or so where a man died from rabies.

    I have a friend who was making her son's bed one morning and a bat rolled out of the bedcovers. The bat was a bit dazed and confused. Her husband caught it and released it outside. The problem with this is that then the bat couldn't be tested for rabies. When she spoke to her doctor he insisted the entire family have rabies shots, since all of their bedroom doors were open when the bat was in the house. This included her 8 week old daughter. She sought a second opinion and was given the same advice.

    If you catch another bat in the house and you don't know how long it's been there and it's possible it was there while someone was sleeping, I hate to say it, but I think you should kill the bat and send it in for rabies testing. The state DEP should know where to send it. As for the fact that the bat was in DS' bedroom while he was sleeping, I would call your pediatrician and maybe do a little online research.

    DS's story, by the way, is adorable!

  • paigect
    17 years ago

    OK, I couldn't help myself. I did a quick google search. I definitely think you should call your pediatrician ASAP.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Bats and rabies

  • housekeeping
    17 years ago

    Sweeby,

    Sorry, but I've got to weigh in with Paige on this one. I don't know where you live but in my state (NY) the most recent rabies fatalities that I have read about were children with assumed or undocumented exposure to bats.

    Rabies is nothing to take chances with. I think you should call your ped tomorrow, assuming this incident took place in the last few days. The window for getting vaccinated after a bite is 10 days.

    Your local health department would be a good resource, too. Here, many private physicians have less experience with rabies, but the Health Department knows which kind of exposures need treatment. I do feral/stray cat rescue work which puts me at risk for contact (and bites!) from unvaccinated wild animals so I have to pay attention to rabies issues pretty closely. Some years I have the Cindy at my Health Department on speed dial!

    Now, don't get panic-y. Although rabies is very serious, with vaccination it is OK. And just in case you remember horror stories about the shots themselves, they are not what they used to be...!

    I hope this is much concern about nothing, but I think you shouldn't just ignore it, either. It may be that in your location bats are not big rabies carriers as they can be in mine. Good luck to you and your family.

    Molly~

  • sweeby
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Oh dear... The thought crossed my mind, but I tend to be a medical worrier, so I deliberately dismissed the thought. I'll do some research and call his pediatrician in the morning. They know me pretty well over there! ;o)

  • sweeby
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Well Dang! And THANK YOU Paige & Molly for sounding the alarm.

    After reading more about it, the authoritative sources say to consider it a "significant exposure" since the bat was known to be in the room with a sleeping child and was there for approx. 24 hours (that we know of). They said to consider it an emergency, even without any signs of a bite. So I called his pediatrician, and he says we'll probably need to do the shots, and he'll check his sources in the morning to get things started. The good news is that with the shots, the chances of contracting rabies are miniscule, and the shots are not as bad as they used to be -- 1 big one to start, then 5 shots in the shoulder over the course of a month.

    I figured John would have known if he'd had any contact with the bat -- but apparently, in the last 20 cases where humans contracted rabies from bats, they were only aware of having been bitten 1 time. And bat bites/scratches are so tiny, they often can't be seen and aren't painful enough to wake a sleeping child. So better safe than sorry...

    Lessons learned:
    - If there's a bat in the room where a child or a person with mental disabilities has been sleeping or left unattended, consider that a significant exposure.
    - Call an expert to trap the bat, then KEEP it for testing. I was trying to be environmentally friendly by releasing the bat, and now my son will have to pay the price. They could have tested the bat and if it was not rabid, John could have avoided the shots.

    Life certainly is interesting...

  • mjsee
    17 years ago

    Sweeby--

    I'm glad you got the info--I was reading through the thread and thinking "uh-oh, 3:00 AM--they should've hung onto that bat..."

    But Paige and Molly were ON it. Now. I have a suggestion so your son doesn't forever connect bats ONLY with nasty things like shots...

    Don't know how old your boys are. BUT. There is a GREAT picture book out called "Bats at the Beach." VERY fun. And a beautiful book that I can't describe...Randall Jarrell's "The Bat Poet." I have a spare copy of "The Bat Poet"--email me with your snailmail addy and I'll send it along.

    I've included a link to "Bats at the Beach." The illustrations are wonderful!

    Hope the shots aren't too traumatic...

    melanie

    Here is a link that might be useful: Bats at the Beach

  • allison0704
    17 years ago

    Glad you contacted the doctor. One more thing you might/might not have read in the link. Bat droppings are very dangerous stuff. You can catch histoplasmosis from handling then breathing in particles.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Bats - histoplasmosis

  • paigect
    17 years ago

    Sweebs, so glad you are a medical worrier so I don't have to worry about you all for the next few months or whatever the incubation period is!

    It was a tough thing for my friend to go through with the whole family getting shots, especially her newborn. She worried about the effects on a young baby. But the risk is just too great, and there's nothing you can do once symptoms show up as you know. And her daughter is a healthy little girl now.

    In a similar vein (close calls with nature), we had a shark incident recently at the Outer Banks. What I now know to be a bull shark swam up to my son while we were standing together in very shallow water and bumped him. I saw it (thank goodness) and screamed "RUN!", and the shark got pulled back a bit in the surf, enabling our escape. At the time I simply saw it as a possible close call but more likely an accident. I later found out bull sharks bump right before they attack, and they are one of the most aggressive and deadly sharks out there.

    The worst part was that I had told my son we were perfectly safe as long as we stayed in front of the breakers. Well, apparently that's all well and good for New England but not so much in the Outer Banks. Now I have zero credibility with DS, who says he refuses to ever swim in any ocean again, even in NE where the aggressive sharks really *don't* come in that close. I know he's done for this summer, but hopefully next summer . . .

    So how is John taking the news re: his friendly nighttime visitor?

  • sweeby
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thank you for your support -- I've now officially gone from amused to near-freaked, but am maintaining a calm facade so John won't be more nervous. He's asking lots of questions, which indicates he's anxious; but it seems to be 'the usual' shot anxiety rather than anything more serious.

    On the good-news front, our pets' rabies vaccinations are all up-to-date, and a re-read of John's health insurance policy looks like there are no exclusions that would apply. Apparently, some insureres refuse to pay, and the shots can run up to $5,000.

    Allison - I considered the 'bat dung' angle, but figured that the production of one small bat for 24 hours would be similar to a mouse's output, which couldn't be much, so we just did a thorough cleaning. There can't be any build-up in the house anywhere since our attic and roof are only a few weeks old.

    Paige - That was scary about the bull shark - yikes! I can understand why your son would be reluctant to go back into the water. Good thing you were watching!

  • paigect
    17 years ago

    Ouch. Really, $5000? You'd think it would automatically be covered. Glad it is in your case.

    I'm sure you must be very anxious about this, but as you know the shots should take care of everything just fine. Life is always an adventure, isn't it?

    I wonder if the bat came in while the construction on the roof and attic was being done? Or is there another point of entry? Attic fan, perhaps?

  • sweeby
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    "Or is there another point of entry?"

    ROFLMAO! If you saw our house right now, you'd understand why this is so funny. Let's see...

    - Well, it could be the upstairs bump-out where the openings for 3 windows have been framed but no windows are in yet.
    - Or, it could be the spaces between the roof rafters that open directly into the attic.
    - Or maybe it's the soffit vent openings that have yet to be covered. Of course, the soffit boards aren't in yet either, so why use the vent slots?
    - It could also be the 6' x 8' opening for the roof-mounted A/C unit that's open to the attic.
    - But then it might also be where the framers dropped a crowbar through the bathroom ceiling.

    Right now, even the idea of sealing the house against bats is ludicrous... A few months, at least. Good thing I'm living with the GC (DH) and know he's working on it 24/7...

  • mjsee
    17 years ago

    I've had an idea. You can't seal the house right now--well and good. BUT--you don't want another "bat incident." Why not surround each of the beds with mosquito netting? Should be enough to protect the family--and then you won't have to go through this again, should any of you awaken to another furry intruder. Bats won't come near it (I think it will read as "solid" to them)--and even if you only order one for John--it would be reassuring for him.

    I found one on-line source--but I bet if you google "mosquito netting" you could come up with BOODLES.

    melanie

    Here is a link that might be useful: mosqutio netting

  • paigect
    17 years ago

    melanie, I'm not sure that solves the problem. Sick bats aren't using their radar correctly, which is how they end up indoors to begin with. My friend actually found the one in her DS's bedroom in the bedcovers. And a bat could easily bite or scratch through the netting.

    Sorry Sweeby, I didn't realize you had that much going on! I remember reading about your desire to change the overall structure of your house on the decorating forum, but I didn't realize you moved so quickly!

  • blsdgal
    17 years ago

    We had bats in our attic in our last home and didn't know it.

    The night we brought our twin boys home from the hospital, one of the bats came down into the house through our whole house fan.

    DH killed it with a broom. My sister and mom were staying with us and I thought my mom would have a stroke. I had had a c-section two days prior and you should have seen me running around the house like a fool.

    The next night dh sat outside with a buddy and a few beers at dusk to see where the bats exited the house. Then he covered the hole. We weren't allowed to kill them, something about them being a protected species. Anyway, that was the end of our bat problems. I know bat houses make a lot of sense--but no thanks.

    I read about a teenager a few weeks ago in Tx who died as a result of a bat bite. One had gotten into his room, he didn't know he had been bitten-and by the time he started having symptoms of rabies, it was too late.

    Scary stuff--but, cute story.

  • sweeby
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    More whine...

    Apparently our health insurance is turning us down -- Says we don't have perscription coverage. They'll pay the Dr's service charges for the injections, but not the cost of the stuff being injected.

    So I am NOT a happy camper right now. Business is slow, expenses are mushrooming, and this is not something I feel I even have a choice about. I mean - sheesh! Isn't this what insurance is for?!

  • paigect
    17 years ago

    Do you really not have rx coverage? Or are they just denying it because of the type of rx? In either case, I would contact someone with the state health department and see if there is some way to get this taken care of. Really, this is something you couldn't have prevented.

  • mjsee
    17 years ago

    I bet you can get 'em for free at the the county health dept. You could if you were in NC! Call them in the morning.

    If not--call your insurance company and point out that rabies is, pretty much, universally fatal, and do they REALLY want that potential lawsuit? (Out of John's hearing, of course.)

    OY.

    (((((((Sweeby, John, DH, et al))))))))

    melanie

  • bill_vincent
    17 years ago

    The worst part was that I had told my son we were perfectly safe as long as we stayed in front of the breakers. Well, apparently that's all well and good for New England but not so much in the Outer Banks. Now I have zero credibility with DS, who says he refuses to ever swim in any ocean again, even in NE where the aggressive sharks really *don't* come in that close. I know he's done for this summer, but hopefully next summer . .

    Not to get too far off topic, but I just saw this comment, and had to jump in.

    Paige-- you're right-- no bull sharks or reef sharks up this way, but I remember several times WTNH reporting makos being spotted in close up at Hammonasett. I also know that right across the water off Montauk Point happens to be one of the best places on the atlantic seaboard to catch great whites, and they're seen every once in a while off the coast of the Sound.

    No BS.

  • paigect
    17 years ago

    Bill, no way! Are makos dangerous? Do they come in in front of the breakers, or just beyond? I always thought we were safe there!

  • bill_vincent
    17 years ago

    Makos, great whites, bulls, and tigers are the 4 most dangerous sharks in the world, and the times that I'm referring to that I saw them on the news, they pulled everyone out of the water, so they must have been in close. I have to say, though, that this is totally out of charactor for makos, because they're usually a deep water shark, but they HAVE come into the beach on occasion.

  • housekeeping
    17 years ago

    Sweeby,

    Call your local health department.. Where I am (NY), if you don't have health insurance they will pay for the shots. They will either do them at their clinic, or give you a referral to an ER. (Having them done in an ER, may also be a work around.)

    And you may need to expedite a grievance (with your health insurance) since the shots MUST BE BEGUN WITHIN TEN DAYS or they are useless. Since this happened last week you are already seriously into your acceptable safe waiting period.

    Not to be terrifyingly blunt, but your health insurance company needs to face the downside cost (to their bottomline, if not their consciences) of fatal rabies care, or even the only known survival which was a complex medically-induced coma for a couple of months. Compared to THOSE costs (which they undoubtedly would be contractually obligated to pay), 5K for the vaccinations is chicken scratch.

    Now, I think the shots are (in your boy's case) largely preventive overkill. But since one can't tell in advance, and it is a fatal disease, you (and your insurance co) don't have a choice. (Plus I think your health department may be able to legally require you to do the shots, or charge you with medical neglect of a minor. Not that you would do that, but it may be an added stick to beat your insurance co. with.) If you contact the health department, you might also try to let them haggle with your insurance company over the cost. They may be more succesful since they carry the bigger stick of state insurance regulations.

    Anyway, I checked in today to see how your boy was doing with the first one. I have a friend who had to take them. The first one is the worst, since is a whacking dose of gamma globulin, which is usually given in the fanny, if there is no obvious bite wound. As you know the other shots are in your deltoid (upper arm) area. I have heard that milkshakes and pizza are good remedies for shot-soreness.

    I'm hoping you can get something worked out. Please keep us posted, I was sending good thoughts to J, all day.

    Molly~

  • sweeby
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    I'm on hold with the health insurance company right now -- have been for most of the day, it seems!

    - Their latest excuse is that to qualify for coverage, the "accident" has to be treated within 48 hours.
    - My argument is that it was "treated" when I talked with the Dr. to assess risk -- that assessing risk in this type of case IS the first treatment.
    - They came back with "has to be SEEN by Dr."
    - My reply was Dr. didn't want to see him to look for a bite that wouldn't be visible anyway since post-exposure treatment was needed even if no bite could be found. Dr. wanted to see him as soon as we coud get the vaccine.
    - Then they asked if I could prove contact on Sunday.
    - Thankfully, I had to go thru answering service, so there should be a record somewhere.
    - OK, now they say if it's an accident, they'll pay the Dr. bill for the visit up to $100, but not for any medication received as an outpatient. That's the drug plan. (Drug plan says it's a Health Plan thing.)


    The end result will be that if they don't approve treatment with this phone call, I guess my next call has to be either a lawyer or a TV station...

    In any case, I need to get my son the drugs, so I will pay for them out of pocket tomorrow morning

    I'm just so frustrated!

  • housekeeping
    17 years ago

    Sweeby,

    How miserably frustrating for you: worry and idiotic, bureacratic, BS on top of it.

    Keep careful notes of exactly who you speak to (ask them to spell their names) and note time and what they say. Ask them to confirm what they've told you, every time. Paper trails scare them. And remember, *everybody* has a supervisor!

    I know you will get your boy his meds, but if you can't get the insurance co. to agree, do try your health department. Truly, around here that's the way people go. If you go ahead and pay for them, in advance of approval, you may have a tougher time getting reimbursed.

    I am always torn (when when working up the food-chain with health insurance) between honey and vinegar.

    I can't see how time since incident has anything to do with it. After all you acted, at once, when you knew there was something to act on. What a lame excuse.

    Hopefully, you're getting better answers even as I write.

    Molly~

  • housekeeping
    17 years ago

    Sweeby,

    I was just thinking about this, and looked at it this way....

    The reason that this is a public health issue (therefore of concern to the local and state health departments - and it is a legally reportable disease) is that, worst case, if some person comes down with acute rabies then all the people they have had close contact with must be vaccinated and, in turn, their close contacts, and so on. You can see how costly that would be to the local/state governments, as many people would have to rely on public health sources for the vaccine.

    That's why I think that unless your insurance companies (health or drug, who cares which) step up *immediately* you really should call the health department, next. I should think that when insurance companies' executives start to hear from public health officials demanding they pay for essential treatment to avoid a public health issue, they will stop futzing around. I think all health insurance companies are under some sort of periodic state review.

    Good luck!

    Molly

  • sweeby
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    " If you go ahead and pay for them, in advance of approval, you may have a tougher time getting reimbursed. "

    You're absolutely right about that one... How's that old saying go? "She who writes the first check loses"? That's why I spent the whole day trying to get them to agree to pay for the treatment, which clearly, to me at least, appears to be covered. I have every name, every time, every phone extension written down -- a paper trail a lawyer would be proud of. And lot of double-speak pass-the-buck quotes that maybe, somewhere down the line, some lawyer could use against them in court, supposing a jury believes my version... But then you have to weigh the cost of a lawyer and trial, and there's no guarantee of winning anyway...

    But the bottom line is, if I don't get him the meds within a certain time frame (clock is ticking), and the bat was rabid and made any sort of contact -- then my son dies. No gray area - just black or white - harmless, or dead. And that's just not an option I can take.

    So I write the first check -- I have to, before they'll even release the vaccine to me. The Health Dept. does say that if I'm destitute, they'll arrange a payment plan, or charge a sliding scale fee. But we're not destitute. Just hurting, and scared, and mad as he!!... And wanting the insurance company to do what they said in their sales literature that they'd do.

    OK - I promised myself I wouldn't get worked up again. It's just money. No one has in the U.S. has ever died from rabies after having the proper vaccine administered correctly within the prescribed time frame. Which means it's just money. And principle. Breathe...

  • housekeeping
    17 years ago

    Okay, Sweeby; well, now you can start the shots tomorrow, which will be a relief, of sorts.

    And you will have the time to raise a ruckus over the costs since you do have insurance, and if I read your post correctly, both for medical care and for medicine.

    I am glad you have good notes. I doubt you'll need to convince a jury, though. But I'm afraid you're in for some major-league PITA hassles with those insurance companies. I hope you won't give up, and you have the energy to bust some chops.

    On the upside, you are completely correct about the treatment, properly done, being entirely successful. And because you said you were a medical worrier (I am, too) I want to emphasize that from what you posted I believe chances are there was no contact, and the bat is most likely perfectly, completely, healthy, so the risk is probably zippo, anyway. (And even though I'm sure you would do things differently, letting it go did save its life as they are usually euthanized, rather than just held for observation. That darned bat is one lucky little flying mammal!)

    I noted the suggestion above about getting mosquito nets, and I chuckled. In my rackety life I haved in places where we always slept under mosquito nets, not to keep mosquitos away, at least in the dry season, but to keep from being bitten by vampire bats. Now, that's a rabies risk! I think real mosquito nets (as opposed to Bombay Company, "for style purposes only" types) would do you quite well, until you can close the house in sufficiently.

    You're right; it's just money and I think if you're prepared to b**ch loud enough, and long enough, you will get it paid for. Which is only right, since you do have insurance .....! Isn't your policy with that well known company, North American Weasel, Ltd.?

    Let us know how it goes!

    Molly~

  • mjsee
    17 years ago

    Molly--

    The Mosquito net site I linked to has EXACTLY the types used in those parts of the world--I'm glad I'm not losing my mind...I thought it ought to work.

    I am SHOCKED that the health dept won't cover it. Must be a state-by-state thing. Around here they do.

    oy.

    melanie

  • bill_vincent
    17 years ago

    MY turn!! Had ANOTHER one last night!!, And this one was big (everything being relative)-- probably a good 14" wingspan.

    Also, Paige-- you might want to watch Discovery tonight-- It's shark week, and they have a 2 hour program about the 10 deadliest sharks, and I'll bet thay'll show every one of the ones I mentioned.

  • sweeby
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Bill - My John thinks your bat in the shower story is about the funniest thing he's ever heard. Especially that part wher you said some bad words. (10 year old humor) A 14" wingspan is BIG for a bat! Hope you got him out safely.

    John finished his second round of shots yesterday, and has done really well so far. He still doesn't like shots, but is "being a big boy" about it, and not having any adverse reactions.

    Interestingly, our prescription plan called yesterday to get the address to ship the meds to. So maybe that means they'll pay? Cross your fingers...

  • housekeeping
    17 years ago

    Sweeby,

    Does John still go trick or treating? Maybe he'd like to be BATMAN this year?

    He sounds like a great kid, and I'm glad he's done with two rounds; only a few more to go!

    I am definitely a baby when it comes to shots, so if I ever have to take the rabies series, maybe I'll email you and ask if he can offer me his encouragement and experience?

    And yes, if the insurance co. is asking where to send the stuff, it sounds like they're going to pay. Of course if they were just enquiring where to send it on the 9th day, it's a good thing you already went ahead and started the series.

    I hope it's all clear sailing from here on.

    Molly~

  • bill_vincent
    17 years ago

    Hope you got him out safely.

    Not a problem, thanks to years of being tormented by my 4 sisters. As a kid, I got real good with rat tailing a towel!! Usually, I'll just throw a towel over them, take them outside, and let them go. This one was just too quick for me, so I ended up rat tailing it out of midair. :-)

  • mjsee
    17 years ago

    Bill--

    I wish you could teach ME to rat tail. A skill I've never acquired.

    Hello from the beach--I'll post again when I get HOME.

    melanie

  • Mimou-GW
    17 years ago

    Did you see this in the paper? Loudoun County, Va. officials have notified the parents of nearly 1,000 girls that they may have been exposed to rabies at Girl Scout camp. Bats were found in the sleeping shelter. They are suggesting the vaccinations for all that were exposed.

  • housekeeping
    17 years ago

    Holy smokes, that will cost someone a fortune. One thousand campers times five thousand bucks apiece is five million dollars. Yikes!

    Sweeby, I hope your boy is still doing fine, by my count he has only one more shot to go?

    Molly~

  • sweeby
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    One shot tomorrow, then one more in two weeks -- And he's doing well. No reactions, learning to be a trooper and feeling proud for it.

    If bought 'in bulk' the shots aren't quite so bad. "Fortunately" the State of Texas is a big consumer, so we were able to get John's shots for 'only' $1,400.

    But yes, this is going to cost *someone* a fortune. I'm curious who it will be.

  • lascatx
    17 years ago

    Sweeby, I never saw this side of things before, so I just saw this thread. I would have jumped onthe shots issue immediately -- especially after the boy in Humble died. You just can't risk it, and I'm sure that's why your dr jumped on it.

    One thought I had for dealing with the insurance co is that they are talking about prescription coverage and the rabies shots are a vaccination. That could make a difference in the terms of your coverage.

    With regard to the 48 hrs, that would generally be constued to mean the bite or the discovery of the bite. You don't know and can't ever determine if there was a bite, nor can they disprove it. The only proof would be your son contracting rabies, at which time the only hope would be the experimental treatment that requires FDA approval -- that came too late for the boy in Humble. And the insurer has just bought national publicity in a wrongful death case. For $5000 or less -- $1400 i your case, the insurer can rest assured that they won't have a wrongful death suit that will cost more than that to simply file an answer -- never mind trying the case or dealing with the publicity.

    If I were advising the insurer, I'd say pay for the blinking shots even if they aren't covered, explain that you don't believe they are covered and figure out a way to make sure neither side suffers any greater loss. It's the best insurance for the insurance company and anything less would be fool hardy and calloused (which brings bigger damage awards if they lose). Maybe someone who could think finally got wind of your claim. How many of these do they think they are going to have, and how many people would want rabies shots if they didn't truly have a risk? Good grief!!!

    I'm glad he got started on the shots and isn't having any problems. Hope it continues that way. If you continue to have insurance issues, email me.