A Paralyzed American Teacher Stranded in Thailand Is Coming Home After a GoFundMe Raised $76,000

[rooster59]

A Paralyzed American Teacher Stranded in Thailand Is Coming Home After a GoFundMe Raised $76,000

By BILLY PERRIGO

 

 

When Caroline Bradner woke up on the morning of Dec. 22 in Thailand, she found herself paralyzed from the neck down.

 

Now, after a GoFundMe campaign by her family raised over $76,000, she will be heading home to Virginia following her stint teaching kids English in Thailand.

 

Bradner was diagnosed with Guillain Barré Syndrome, a rare disease that causes people’s immune system to attack their nerves and can cause paralysis lasting months or even years.

 

Full story: http://time.com/5493905/paralyzed-teacher-thailand-fundraiser/

 

TIME: 2019-01-05

[Thaiwrath]

But after the fundraiser attracted attention on social media, the travel insurance provider said it would pay for the flights,

 

 

If that is the actual reason the insurance agreed to pay for the flights, they are a total disgrace. 

[richard_smith237]

She was working here, but had ‘travel insurance’... 

 

GBS is sudden, shocking, completely debilitating and is not yet understood how, why & who it strikes down....  

I hope this lady has a full recovery. 

[pokerface1]

Finally a new and safer was to insure yourself in the future "GO FUND ME" the better insurance. Insurance companies have been scamming people for decades using complex legal jargon and  fine print to avoid genuine claims.

Go Fund me has no limits or restrictions you can be covered for absolutely anything. Be it riding your motor bike without a licence and crashing into an elephant -- all your bills covered.  If you spend all your money on hookers and have no money to pay for your flight home no worries your covered just go fund me I'm sure there are sympathetic people out there who understand your predicament and would love to help you out. 

Dam it someone stole all my booze so I'm going to use GO FUND ME  

[overherebc]

36 minutes ago, pokerface1 said:

Finally a new and safer was to insure yourself in the future "GO FUND ME" the better insurance. Insurance companies have been scamming people for decades using complex legal jargon and  fine print to avoid genuine claims.

Go Fund me has no limits or restrictions you can be covered for absolutely anything. Be it riding your motor bike without a licence and crashing into an elephant -- all your bills covered.  If you spend all your money on hookers and have no money to pay for your flight home no worries your covered just go fund me I'm sure there are sympathetic people out there who understand your predicament and would love to help you out. 

Dam it someone stole all my booze so I'm going to use GO FUND ME  

On your last line you have a very bad 4 letter mis-spelling.

????????????????

Joke by the way. It seems you have to explain them on TV a lot lately.

[Odysseus123]

Best of luck girl for your journey home and I wish you a full recovery.

[connda]

She the second case lately of a person stranded in Thailand with a disability because their insurance company weaseled out of paying out.  Sound like Western countries need to reform their insurance companies.

[DrTuner]

Maybe I should do a gofundme too, simply with "gimme all your money". Would probably net free beer for a year, for a decade if I could come up with a sob story.

 

It's not the fool who asks...

[Sheryl]

6 hours ago, pokerface1 said:

Insurance companies have been scamming people for decades using complex legal jargon and  fine print to avoid genuine claims.

 

No indication her insurance co was doing anything of the sort, they were paying the medical costs in Thailand in full.

 

The issue was they did not want to cover the costs of bringing her back to the US now since the needed care could be gotten in Thailand, but for personal/emotional reasons she and her family preferred that she come home now.

 

 

[connda]

6 hours ago, pokerface1 said:

Finally a new and safer was to insure yourself in the future "GO FUND ME" the better insurance. Insurance companies have been scamming people for decades using complex legal jargon and  fine print to avoid genuine claims.

Go Fund me has no limits or restrictions you can be covered for absolutely anything. Be it riding your motor bike without a licence and crashing into an elephant -- all your bills covered.  If you spend all your money on hookers and have no money to pay for your flight home no worries your covered just go fund me I'm sure there are sympathetic people out there who understand your predicament and would love to help you out. 

Dam it someone stole all my booze so I'm going to use GO FUND ME  

The difference between vocal critics of those who need to use a Go Fund Me campaign and those who contribute to that campaign is that the later actually understand what the words "compassion" and "empathy" mean.  The former?  Maybe their parents slapped them around too much when they were kids and they ended up growing up hard as nails and empathically emotionless.  Sad to be that way imho.

[Sheryl]

8 minutes ago, connda said:

She the second case lately of a person stranded in Thailand with a disability because their insurance company weaseled out of paying out.  Sound like Western countries need to reform their insurance companies.

Again, not at all the case. The insurer had already paid out, without issue, for her care in Thailand and continued to do so.

 

She would not have been indefinitely stranded in Thailand, just here, receiving medical care,  until able to fly home in a relatively normal manner i.e. in an airline seat as opposed to needing a whole row of seats removed for a stretcher, medical attendant, standby respirator etc. Which with this disease she would have been able, in time, to do.

 

I can sympathize with her and her family's preference to bring her back before that, but it is unfair to characterize the insurer has having "weasled out of paying out". They paid plenty and were prepared to continue to do so for as long as she needed medical care or rehab.

[Kieran00001]

1 hour ago, Thaiwrath said:

But after the fundraiser attracted attention on social media, the travel insurance provider said it would pay for the flights,

 

 

If that is the actual reason the insurance agreed to pay for the flights, they are a total disgrace. 

 

There was no medical advantage to her from flying home, the insurance company were covering her treatment in Thailand as per her insurance contract, they just seized the chance to buy some cheap advertising in the form of paying for the flights whilst in the limelight of social media, hardly disgracefull, just shrewd.

[Kieran00001]

8 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

She was working here, but had ‘travel insurance’... 

 

GBS is sudden, shocking, completely debilitating and is not yet understood how, why & who it strikes down....  

I hope this lady has a full recovery. 

 

Loads of travel insurances cover work abroad, working holidays are hardly unusual, in the UK we have gone on them since the Victorian days, it would be pretty odd if the travel insurance companies neglected to consider that.

[Bluespunk]

7 hours ago, pokerface1 said:

Finally a new and safer was to insure yourself in the future "GO FUND ME" the better insurance. Insurance companies have been scamming people for decades using complex legal jargon and  fine print to avoid genuine claims.

Go Fund me has no limits or restrictions you can be covered for absolutely anything. Be it riding your motor bike without a licence and crashing into an elephant -- all your bills covered.  If you spend all your money on hookers and have no money to pay for your flight home no worries your covered just go fund me I'm sure there are sympathetic people out there who understand your predicament and would love to help you out. 

Dam it someone stole all my booze so I'm going to use GO FUND ME  

I really don’t get the anger so many have with “go fund me”.

 

It is not compulsory for anyone to contribute. 

 

If you feel someone is in trouble because of their own actions, you are not forced to help them by “go fund me”. 

 

Those who choose to help others are free to do so and those who need help are free to ask for it.

 

Equally, those who don’t wish to help can ignore pleas for help. 

 

[connda]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

Again, not at all the case. The insurer had already paid out, without issue, for her care in Thailand and continued to do so.

 

She would not have been indefinitely stranded in Thailand, just here, receiving medical care,  until able to fly home in a relatively normal manner i.e. in an airline seat as opposed to needing a whole row of seats removed for a stretcher, medical attendant, standby respirator etc. Which with this disease she would have been able, in time, to do.

 

I can sympathize with her and her family's preference to bring her back before that, but it is unfair to characterize the insurer has having "weasled out of paying out". They paid plenty and were prepared to continue to do so for as long as she needed medical care or rehab.

My bust then.  I thought I read that the insurance company had refused to repatriate her. 

[I wonder]

8 hours ago, overherebc said:

On your last line you have a very bad 4 letter mis-spelling.

????????????????

Joke by the way. It seems you have to explain them on TV a lot lately.

Yeah go <deleted> me too I’m broke and can’t pay the kids school fees????

[puukao]

People are jealous that others get money, and they don't.

 

People are jealous that people care about other people, and maybe not them.

 

People are jealous that they might really need money and nobody, not even Gofundyourself, cares at all.

 

If you want to feel better, go to gofucdyourself and look at all the sick people getting nothing.....and then go buy 100 beers and be happy they have it worse than you.   i'm sure a philosopher explained this before, many times.  

[shackleton]

2 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

I really don’t get the anger so many have with “go fund me”.

 

It is not compulsory for anyone to contribute. 

 

If you feel someone is in trouble because of their own actions, you are not forced to help them by “go fund me”. 

 

Those who choose to help others are free to do so and those who need help are free to ask for it.

 

Equally, those who don’t wish to help can ignore pleas for help. 

 

Totally agree there are some sad hypocrites on here

its  up to people if they want to contribute their money 

towards the Go Fund me and help people out 

[dcnx]

2 hours ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

There was no medical advantage to her from flying home, the insurance company were covering her treatment in Thailand

Better doctors, updated information and procedures, and better facilities. All medical advantages.

 

To suggest Thailand is on the same level as the USA for medical care is laughable. It’s cheaper, yes. But you often get what you pay for.

 

 

 

 

[dcnx]

12 minutes ago, shackleton said:

Totally agree there are some sad hypocrites on here

its  up to people if they want to contribute their money 

towards the Go Fund me and help people out 

Thailand is full of bitter losers. It’s really that simple. 

[Sheryl]

3 hours ago, connda said:

My bust then.  I thought I read that the insurance company had refused to repatriate her. 

Correct. They refused to pay for her repatriation. They DID pay, right from the start, for her treatment in Thailand.

 

Travel insurance does not guarantee to repatriate you if the care needed can be obtained in the country you are in.

 

In every travel policy I have seen, the insurer reserves the right to decide whether to pay for medical evacuation to your home country or for care to be provided in the country where you are, if the necessary care is available there.

 

The insured does not get a say in the choice between these two things, it is up to the company. The insurance guarantees that you will be have access to needed medical care, not that you will be able to decide what country you want to receive it in.

 

Sometimes people are unhappy in the opposite direction, e.g. I've seen posts by people upset that their insurer wants to pay to bring them home for treatment of XYZ while they preferred, for personal reasons,  to be treated in Thailand.

 

 

[Peasandmash]

Gods speed and best wishes for a full recovery and long and fruitful life ! The generosity of the American people is second to none. Thank you President Donald Trump for the growing and bountiful American economy and for leading the way to make America Great Again! God Bless the President and God Bless America.

$$$ 6 more years $$$ 6 more years $$$ 6 more years $$$ 6 more years $$$

[Youlike]

12 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

But after the fundraiser attracted attention on social media, the travel insurance provider said it would pay for the flights,

 

 

If that is the actual reason the insurance agreed to pay for the flights, they are a total disgrace. 

I agree, what's the name of that insurer?? So i can boycot them forever.

[madmen]

7 hours ago, DrTuner said:

Maybe I should do a gofundme too, simply with "gimme all your money". Would probably net free beer for a year, for a decade if I could come up with a sob story.

 

It's not the fool who asks...

Dirty old men (not that there is anything wrong with that } living as expats in Thailand are frowned upon and regarded as perverts by the west 

 

You would be lucky to raise 2 satang. 

 

Mainly works with young tourists or workers. 

Edited January 5, 2019 by madmen

[heybuz]

correct me if i"m wrong but doesn't your travel insurance end when you have returned from your travels, if so the insurance company is off the hook and the lady would be then responsible for her medical costs once home.

[superal]

12 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Correct. They refused to pay for her repatriation. They DID pay, right from the start, for her treatment in Thailand.

 

Travel insurance does not guarantee to repatriate you if the care needed can be obtained in the country you are in.

 

In every travel policy I have seen, the insurer reserves the right to decide whether to pay for medical evacuation to your home country or for care to be provided in the country where you are, if the necessary care is available there.

 

The insured does not get a say in the choice between these two things, it is up to the company. The insurance guarantees that you will be have access to needed medical care, not that you will be able to decide what country you want to receive it in.

 

Sometimes people are unhappy in the opposite direction, e.g. I've seen posts by people upset that their insurer wants to pay to bring them home for treatment of XYZ while they preferred, for personal reasons,  to be treated in Thailand.

Have to say I doubted your statement and so went on line to get a quote for travel insurance and to my surprise you are right . Repatriation is only covered if the insurer considers that the medical treatment available locally is not of a reasonable standard , as per policy document that was like reading War & Peace .  It seems to me that there is a lot of room for insurers to wriggle and it gives a feeling of non confidence . BTW , I am 71 years old and there were only two companies that would take me on and the premiums were 450-660-1000 pounds for a 4 month single trip , not inclusive of two declared medical issues . So not a bad deal if they are reliable as a recent quote for medical insurance only in Thailand came in at 400 pounds a month and up .

 

[DrTuner]

15 hours ago, Sheryl said:

In every travel policy I have seen, the insurer reserves the right to decide whether to pay for medical evacuation to your home country or for care to be provided in the country where you are, if the necessary care is available there.

 

The insured does not get a say in the choice between these two things, it is up to the company. The insurance guarantees that you will be have access to needed medical care, not that you will be able to decide what country you want to receive it in.

Makes full sense, people just don't read the T&C. My insurance is cold hard cash in the account. Saved more in premiums in the last 10 years than an insurance would cover (never been hospitalized in the last five decades) and no small print either.

[Sheryl]

10 hours ago, heybuz said:

correct me if i"m wrong but doesn't your travel insurance end when you have returned from your travels, if so the insurance company is off the hook and the lady would be then responsible for her medical costs once home.

That is correct.  Presumably she has insurance at home as well.