“A free cruise turned into a financial nightmare for Mike Cameron, a Minnesota truck driver of 25 years, and his girlfriend, Tamra,” Kirsten Mitchell writes over at CBS News. “The couple won a free cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line and were excited to celebrate Tamra’s recent lung cancer recovery. The pair set sail for the week-long trip in early January, but shortly into the week, Cameron got sick. He said he went to the ship’s medical center and was diagnosed with the flu. ‘When I first went in, there was no doubt that I definitely needed some help,’ Cameron said. After receiving oxygen, Mike said he felt better and asked to return to his room to recover. However, he says he was kept in the medical ward for 62 hours. ‘I was reassured by their medical secretary that I had nothing to worry about because I had Travelers Insurance,’ Cameron said. ‘She said, “I already looked into it. You’ve got $20,000 worth of coverage. You’ll be fine.'” But when it came time to pay the bill, Cameron was shocked to learn that the total cost of his care was more than $47,000. … Though Mike and Tamra had purchased Travelers Insurance, their struggles were just beginning. When they went to settle the bill, Mike says the cruise line directed him to first go through his primary health insurance. However, his health insurance didn’t cover medical expenses abroad.” Kirsten Mitchell, “Minnesota man’s free cruise ends with $47,000 medical bill,” CBS News.
