Jess Mead, a single mother from Casey, was given less than 10 days to pay off her two month old kitten’s $5000 vet bill after what their pet-insurer says was a “miscommunication” about their rejected insurance claim.
With the help of a GoFundMe, donations from numerous organisations including the emergency vet staff have been received to help Mead pay the bill.
Mead says she relies on government assistance payments for her and her 11-year old daughter who has ASD 2, ADHD and Cerebral Palsy and “cannot afford to be paying a bill like that”.
According to Mead, Benji was in critical condition and given only a small chance of survival when they brought him into an emergency pet clinic in Casey with laboured breathing.
As per the hospital summary from the vet, it states that Benji presented to the clinic in a “collapsed and comatose state with pale mucous membranes, respiratory distress and hypothermia.”
During the emergency vet visit, Benji required an extensive list of procedures including being put on an oxygen mask, an IV, as well as needing a blood transfusion from another donor who travelled from Sunshine following Mead’s pleas on social media.
Mead says she was told the procedure would be covered by her full comprehensive pet insurance.
But the insurance company has since said their records indicate the correct information was given to the veterinary staff upon admission.
“There was a miscommunication between the vet and customer,” the spokesperson said.
And that due to the 30-day waiting period condition, Benji’s procedures would not be covered.
In line with the insurance’s policy on waiting periods, any cover obtained has a 30-day waiting period for illnesses beginning on the day of the membership.
Meaning Benji is not covered for illnesses until the end of November, despite the insurance’s original approval.
Mead says she was notified of the rejected claim and charge only upon discharge due to the waiting period but also to the insurer asserting that Benji had a pre-existing illness.
But a spokesperson from the insurance company has stated that the claim was rejected “predominantly due to the waiting period”.
According to the owner of the rescue organisation, Vanessa, along with Benji’s adoption papers, kitten health book, desexing certificate and numerous vet checks, there was no apparent prior illness.
Mead has been crowdfunding to help pay off the remainder of the vet bill, but her insurer now says they have since reached a financial resolution.
The insurer told her it would pay $800 out of ‘good will’, Mead says. Her vet is offering to cover the remaining balance.
