Khiali Baxter and her boyfriend were on her first Royal Caribbean cruise from Galveston to Mexico when, just over two days into the trip, she experienced a medical emergency.
Her family has since incurred over $13,000 in out-of-pocket medical expenses and is now sharing their “scary experience” to caution other travelers.
The Texas woman told KHOU, “I woke up, I started throwing up blood. Unfortunately, I had passed out on the ground.”
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Upon diagnosis of internal bleeding by the ship’s emergency room physicians, she was subsequently transferred via ambulance to a hospital four hours away.
“I could feel myself kind of going in and out of consciousness. I was very cold and terrified,” Baxter recounted.
When Baxter got to the hospital, her parents were called. Her dad, Craig Baxter, mentioned that the hospital staff asked for payment upfront for her treatment.
“We’ll work as far as the $2,500 will take us,’ I’ve never heard this in my life,” Craig Baxter recalled the conversation with the hospital staff member..
“Sometimes the trip of a lifetime can become the situation of a lifetime,” Craig Baxter said.
Despite doing a colonoscopy and an endoscopy, Baxter said medical professionals were unable to determine the source of the bleeding.
The Baxter family was presented with a $9,970 itemized bill. Their cruise ship bill for on-board medical facilities came in at $4,048. Additionally, the family had to pay for airfare and accommodations in Mexico.
The family now regrets not researching travel insurance.
“It was a very, very scary experience…I really wish I would’ve gotten travel insurance,” Baxter said.
KHOU spoke with Jeff Rolander, Faye Travel Insurance’s vice president of claims and customer experience. He advised individuals to do research before purchasing a policy, which might cost several hundred dollars.
“There are very barebones policies that might protect just a piece of the trip, for instance, the flights themselves or a hotel room,” Rolander said. “A comprehensive travel insurance product typically costs 6 to 8% of the trip cost.”
According to him, plans can pay for medical transport, medical expenditures, and the duration of the trip.
The Baxter family explained that they want to educate other families about the potential benefits of travel insurance.
“It was an eye-opening experience that I hope prepares other young people,” Craig Baxter said.
Although part of the expenses have been covered by a GoFundMe, the family hopes that others will be prepared to avoid any financial hardship.
