The flu could cost him up to $ 50,000

Photo courtesy
Sebastien Grenon has organized a tattoo convention in Saguenay in 2015, with the other tattooists in the Studio Sacre-Bleu.

Carl Vaillancourt

Friday, 13 October 2017 17:50

UPDATE
Friday, 13 October 2017 17:50

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A tattoo artist montreal, 29 years old, suffering from a flu during a business trip in France, could receive a bill for $ 50,000 because he had not renewed his travel insurance policy.

Sebastien Grenon is a native of Saguenay and he is a tattoo artist for four years. He has made a dozen trips since 2013 to develop and, each time, he had taken an insurance policy, according to his wife of the past 10 years, Cindy Laplante.

A week ago, the couple flew to France for a conference which was held the last week-end in Nantes.

In full form

Sebastien Grenon was in full form when he flew last Wednesday and was anxious to find his friends tattoo artists French whom he had known in November 2016 at another event.

However, a few days after their arrival, Sébastien Grenon has seen his health deteriorate rapidly.

He contracted a flu which, combined with his asthma has always been considered a minor, has caused serious respiratory problems.

In the night of Monday to Tuesday, his situation became critical. He has been admitted to the Centre hospitalier universitaire Hotel-Dieu, Nantes, france.

In the late afternoon, on Tuesday, the 29-year old man was having trouble breathing by himself.

Coma

The doctors have decided to dive into an induced coma so that he can breathe with the help of a machine.

“Sebastian has been put under oxygen, and then the doctors were finally intubated because he could not breathe normally. A simple flu turns into a nightmare, ” explained Cindy Laplante.

In addition to wonder if her partner will wake up one day from his induced coma, the invoice of the care provided may be salty, confessed the 27 year old woman.

Photo courtesy

Sebastien Grenon and his wife, Cindy Laplante

The Québécois had not renewed his travel insurance policy which matured last June. It cost $ 200 per year.

“It is a big boy, he told me to be “correct” and that it was not until a week. But here, it’s going to cost us probably close to $ 50,000 for care and the cost of medical transportation to return to Quebec. This is the first time we travel without insurance. It is fâchant. Sebastian thought he was invincible, and it is catching up with us today. The important thing is that it gets better, ” she confessed.

Sociofinancement

However, Cindy Laplante will not have to pay the entire bill, since the family of his spouse has initiated a campaign of sociofinancement on the site GoFundMe. She managed to raise more than $ 15,000 in less than 48 hours.

“My priority is to see it recover, the rest is incidental for me. We will work it out with the bills later, ” said Ms. Laplante.

Not a single case, according to the RAMQ

Every year, many Quebecers take the risk to travel without insurance and have to pay large sums of money in health care, according to the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec.

“Every year we have calls from people who find themselves in unfortunate positions in travelling in other provinces or other countries that may have the same questions relating to the fact that they do not have private insurance,” explained a spokesperson for the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ), Caroline Dupont.

$ 100 per day

According to the hedging policy outside Québec adopted by the RAMQ, all the holders of the “carte soleil” are eligible for reimbursement of medical expenses up to a ceiling of $ 100 per day when they are hospitalized in another country.

However, it covers only a small portion of the costs invoiced abroad. For example, the couple Cindy Laplante and Sebastien Grenon sees the medical bill climb to 4500 $ canadian per day, in France.

In addition, the costs to repatriate the tattooist in Quebec paratransit with a doctor and nurses will be substantial. This kind of expenses is usually paid by the private insurer.

“A chance that the people around us have contributed to our campaign [sociofinancement], but it leaves a bitter taste to know that you can pay that $ 50,000,” said Ms. Laplante, who is a nutritionist by profession.

Well-informed

Although many individuals travel every year without travel insurance, the risks involved may lead to the personal bankruptcy, if an invoice is too salty for an individual.

The canadian Association of insurance companies for individuals (CLHIA) estimates that it is providing the travel insurance when you leave the country.

“It is important to be well informed, it can avoid situations like that-there [the case of Sébastien Grenon]. It is important that you read the insurance contract also for not to have bad surprises “, reported the spokesperson of the CPOMA, Suzie Pellerin.