A Humboldt couple faces possible bankruptcy after the Saskatchewan Blue Cross refused to pay a $950,000 medical bill incurred when their daughter was born ahead of schedule while they were on vacation in Hawaii.

Jennifer Huculak-Kimmel was six months pregnant when she travelled to Hawaii. Her water broke two days into the trip. She was taken to a hospital by air ambulance and spent six weeks there before their daughter, Reece, was born by emergency C-section on Dec. 10, 2013.

Huculak-Kimmel had purchased Blue Cross travel insurance for the trip. She said she specifically asked about the pregnancy and got clearance from her doctor.

“When a Blue Cross representative sits across a table from you and says, ‘Yes, you are covered,’ maybe their representatives should be more well-educated on what they’re selling,” she said.

When it came time for Blue Cross to pay, the couple’s claim was denied on the grounds of “pre-existing conditions.” Huculak-Kimmel said the only condition she had during the pregnancy was a bladder infection about two months before the trip.

The infection did cause some hemorrhaging, but her doctor was aware of it and still cleared her to travel. She also told specialists in Hawaii about it, and they told her it shouldn’t have anything to do with a premature water break, she said.

“We would like Blue Cross to step up and pay for it,” Huculak-Kimmel said, adding they decided to go public to let others know to be careful when purchasing insurance.

“We did this story to warn people that it can happen to anybody,” she said.

Since the story first aired in the media, Huculak-Kimmel has been inundated with calls and social media comments.

“We’ve been getting overloaded with some people wanting to help, and others making mean comments about travelling while pregnant,” she said.

The couple went to Hawaii for a last bit of rest before the baby came. They were also celebrating the purchase of a new house. That house is now for sale.

Huculak-Kimmel said they haven’t yet decided whether to try to dispute Blue Cross’s denial, declare bankruptcy, or what else they might do.

“We haven’t made a decision. We don’t really know what to do. We’re kind of weighing out our options,” she said.

The silver lining to all of it is Reece, a healthy, happy girl approaching her first birthday.

“On one hand we feel fortunate and blessed,” Huculak-Kimmel said.

While her mother spoke to a reporter on the phone, Reece was pulling her hair and cooing happily in the background. Her mom said she isn’t sure if Reece understands the attention she has had, but the infant has nevertheless enjoyed her time on camera.

“We’ve had two camera crews here in two days. She keeps trying to grab the fuzzy thing on the microphone,” Huculak-Kimmel said.

Saskatchewan’s minister of health, Dustin Duncan, was asked about the case after question period Tuesday in the legislature. He said he had only found out about the story shortly before, and didn’t have details about what role the ministry might play.

Duncan expressed sympathy for the family, mentioning that he himself had a child born early.

“Certainly, $950,000, I don’t know how my family would be able to afford that,” Duncan said.

Blue Cross has not responded to a request for information by The StarPhoenix.

strembath@thestarphoenix.com

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