Their Babymoon Turned Into a Nightmare - But who is to blame? / myLot

Boston, Massachusetts

September 2, 2015 6:16pm CST

I have been reading about this American couple who went to Portugal on a vacation, even though the wife was pregnant with twins. While she was in Portugal, she went into premature labor and gave birth to a boy and a girl, each weighing only 1 pound. The babies were obviously hospitalized, and sadly, the boy died. Three months later, the girl has grown and gained weight and they are finally now allowed to take her home. The catch is that the baby needs a specially-equipped medical flight and their US insurance company won't pay for it. Now, I do agree that they are in quite a pickle. They have been in Portugal for three months and they've had a tragedy with the death of their son. It would be very nice of the insurance company to pay for the extremely expensive flight, but if they are not responsible under the contract to do so, they aren't going to do it. Insurance companies follow policy language very strictly. The couple believe that since her doctor cleared her for the vacation, that the insurance company should pay. Just because I am a cautious type, I would never have flown overseas while pregnant with twins. Any pregnancy can suffer a sudden event, but twins present even more risk. I think they should have considered how dangerous a medical emergency away from home might be. What do you think? Should they have traveled when they did? Is the insurance company wrong not to pay for a transatlantic med flight (I can't even guess how much that might cost)? Consider that a domestic medflight in the US costs tens of thousands of dollars.

US couple stranded in Portugal 3 months after giving birth to twins

www.dailymail.co.uk

Kim and Fred Spratt have been stranded in Portugal since May. Their surviving daughter is now strong enough to be flown to US, but their insurance company is refusing to pay for the transport.

13 people like this

15 responses

Oshy

@TiarasOceanView (70022)

• United States

3 Sep 15

I have such compassion for them. Rip poor baby. And the lil girl so frail right now. No, I would not have travelled..never!

2 people like this

AnjaP

@Rollo1 (16679)

• Boston, Massachusetts

3 Sep 15

Yes, it's very sad. Of course, we can't know if she might not have gone into labor if she hadn't been traveling, etc. But a pregnancy with twins is always risky for both mother and babies.

1 person likes this

Oshy

@TiarasOceanView (70022)

• United States

3 Sep 15

@Rollo1 The poor babies.

Anna

@LadyDuck (472222)

• Switzerland

3 Sep 15

I completely agree with you. She would have never left the United States knowing that she was pregnant with twins. The risk to have premature labor is high and you do not know how medical services are in another country.

1 person likes this

AnjaP

@Rollo1 (16679)

• Boston, Massachusetts

3 Sep 15

That's another thing, @LadyDuck. They were in a hospital in Portugal and neither of them speak Portuguese. So she has this emergency, premature delivery of tiny babies and cannot communicate with the medical personnel about what is happening. It was a foolish thing to do, in my opinion, though I do feel sorry for them in their plight.

1 person likes this

Patsie Hatley

@Hatley (163776)

• Garden Grove, California

19 Nov 15

and the gl ight could not have been that good for her Im surprised the doctor sanctioned it at all. she should h ave stayed in the U S where she could get medical help and noit kite off to fo reign countires while pregnant with twins for goodness sakes.!!!!!

1 person likes this

Anna

@LadyDuck (472222)

• Switzerland

3 Sep 15

@Rollo1 I also feel sorry for them. Even when you speak a foreign language, it's not easy to communicate with doctors in a language that is not your native. I had the experience and I know.

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TexanTornado

@TexanTornado (5573)

• United States

3 Sep 15

Wow! You have to feel for the couple. Not only for losing one child, but to be stuck in an unknown country. I would never have traveled that far from home being pregnant, and especially not to a foreign country. No, the insurance company shouldn't have to pay, if it's not covered in their policy. However, if the couple really wanted to get back home, they could always contact a US/local news station and have a mayday type broadcast/funds raised for them. Most people would rise to the occasion to help out.

1 person likes this

AnjaP

@Rollo1 (16679)

• Boston, Massachusetts

3 Sep 15

They have set up a GoFundMe and have raised some money for their living expenses there, but now their visa is about to run out. It seems like someone needs to step in and help them, but who will do that?

1 person likes this

TexanTornado

@TexanTornado (5573)

• United States

3 Sep 15

@Rollo1 I still say, that this couple's home town, family and friends could rally around and get the money raised that is needed.

Anne Marie Guyer

@LeaPea2417 (37396)

• Toccoa, Georgia

3 Sep 15

I would never have flown overseas if I was pregnant with twins. I do feel bad for them and I do think the insurance company should pay for the flight.

1 person likes this

AnjaP

@Rollo1 (16679)

• Boston, Massachusetts

3 Sep 15

They would pay for the flight to the US, if going to the US were medically necessary. But the baby is being cared for adequately in Portugal, so they are paying those medical expenses only.

1 person likes this

sofs

@sofssu (23662)

•

3 Sep 15

That is sad. However, it seem like an unwise decision (in hindsight) to travel while pregnant with twins, I wouldn't have done that myself. Yet the doctor has cleared her for travel which means the insurance company needs to pay. We pay insurance only for unpredictable stuff like this happening.

1 person likes this

AnjaP

@Rollo1 (16679)

• Boston, Massachusetts

3 Sep 15

A lot of insurance doesn't even cover you if you leave the country, so they are pretty lucky that it is paying for all the baby's healthcare. The insurance company says moving the baby to the US is not medically necessary as the baby is getting the necessary medical care now in the Portuguese hospital. That's why they won't pay for the medflight, it's not medically necessary.

sofs

@sofssu (23662)

•

3 Sep 15

@Rollo1 that's so silly... they have been displaced.. and the insurance company is happy to keep them there. If guess they would have taken an oversea policy before they fly out of the country.. its mandatory here.. I guess that is why they are paying the bills now. I am not sure how it is in different countries.

Christine aka stine1

@stine1online (835)

• Germany

3 Sep 15

I am six months pregnant with one baby and I would not fly overseas while pregnant just for a holiday - 2 hours tops. There are too many risks. I think it's correct that the insurance company is not covering it since they stated it in their terms, right?

1 person likes this

AnjaP

@Rollo1 (16679)

• Boston, Massachusetts

3 Sep 15

I think that their position is that the baby is receiving the necessary medical care right now where she is, so that moving her to the US is not medically necessary. Insurance pays for things that are medically necessary. Skin grafts for burn patients, but not cosmetic surgery for aesthetic reasons, for example. The medflight is necessary if the baby goes to the US, but it's not medically necessary for her to go to the US for treatment and care. I think that if the baby had to go to the US for some special care that is only available there, they might be able to get the insurance to cover it.

firecracker

@sacmom (14192)

• United States

3 Sep 15

That's terribly sad. Although she should have never traveled while she was pregnant, the doctor should have never cleared her for travel to begin with.

1 person likes this

AnjaP

@Rollo1 (16679)

• Boston, Massachusetts

3 Sep 15

You know, doctors aren't as cautious these days as they once were and it was a note they got because the airline needed it to let her fly. Even the airline knew she should stay home.

1 person likes this

rebel_woman06

@SIMPLYD (90721)

• Philippines

3 Sep 15

On the first place they should have considered her preggy state when they flew to Portugal specially that she's carrying twin.

1 person likes this

AnjaP

@Rollo1 (16679)

• Boston, Massachusetts

3 Sep 15

I suppose they are young and not thinking about pregnancy as a condition that requires special care. But twins is another matter. I am sure they wished they hadn't gone at this point.

Kristie Benjamin

@Novelangel (394)

• United States

18 Sep 15

You know, up until recently, I had never even heard of a "babymoon". This, I think, is a new thing devised by the younger generation. (I'm from the dinosaur age myself, LOL) I think traveling while carrying twins is risky at best but I suppose if her doctor cleared her for it...well, I don't know what I would have done in that case. I think the parents should be considering the babies first as a multiple pregnancy is riskier than a singleton.

dashboardc33

@dashboardc33 (314)

•

3 Sep 15

That poor couple. I wouldn't have gone if I was pregnant at all. How far along was she? I had something similar happen to someone I know. She was 7 months pregnant and went to Florida and lost the baby. What a sad vacation and they will probably never want to go back.

1 person likes this

AnjaP

@Rollo1 (16679)

• Boston, Massachusetts

3 Sep 15

She was 14 weeks early. But you expect early with twins, hopefully not that early , but it happens.

Judy Story

@jstory07 (140291)

• Roseburg, Oregon

3 Sep 15

I would not have traveled while pregnant. Sad what happened.

1 person likes this

AnjaP

@Rollo1 (16679)

• Boston, Massachusetts

3 Sep 15

I wouldn't have, either. Especially not with twins. Multiple pregnancies often result in a premature birth and it's just too risky.

Gina

@Gina145 (3949)

• Johannesburg, South Africa

5 Sep 15

I suppose they really shouldn't have made the trip, but that's not really relevant if their doctor said it was okay. Legally the insurance company don't have to pay, but ethically I think they're wrong. Sadly the medical profession and everything related to it only seem to care about money now.