GoFundMe page raising cash for Humboldt couple hit with $1M bill

Jennifer Huculak says she was billed nearly $1 million after unexpectedly giving birth to her daughter in Hawaii.

Efforts to help a Humboldt couple facing a $950,000 medical bill are taking off.

A GoFundMe page created Wednesday to help Jennifer Huculak and Darren Kimmel had raised nearly $4,000 as of Friday morning. The couple were hit with the bill after Huculak gave birth while they were vacationing in Hawaii last year.

Huculak was six months pregnant when they flew to Hawaii. She bought Blue Cross insurance and received approval from her doctor before leaving.

Two days into the trip, her water broke. She spent six weeks on bed rest in a Hawaiian hospital. The couple’s daughter, Reece Huculak, was born nine weeks early and spent two months in intensive care.

Reece is healthy, but Blue Cross has since denied the couple’s claim.

"It makes you sick to your stomach," Jennifer said earlier this week. "Who can pay a million-dollar medical bill? Who can afford that?"

The couple told CTV last week they were considering bankruptcy.

The Manitoba woman who started the GoFundMe campaign said she wanted to help.

“I think it’s really great — the number of people that are sharing it through other social media,” said Lynda Dobbin-Turner. “It proves that there are an awful lot of really good hearts out there, and people want to help. It gives people a way to do that.”

Blue Cross has refused to pay any of the amount, arguing that Huculak had a pre-existing condition. Huculak said she did not have a high-risk pregnancy. She had a bladder infection which led to bleeding.

Her specialist at home in Saskatchewan has written to Blue Cross, saying that the bladder infection did not lead to Huculak's early labour. But her coverage was still denied.

--- with files from CTVNews.ca