A medical emergency is one of the worst things for a person to go through. Emergency transportation to a medical facility in an ambulance has saved many lives. Sometimes, an air ambulance is needed. These helicopters rescue people in locations inaccessible to standard emergency vehicles, such as at the top of the Grand Canyon. They are also used in the most critical cases, when time is of the essence and backed-up traffic could make the difference between life or death. The companies that provide air ambulances provide an essential service, and there is no doubt that they are appreciated by those rescued, as well as their loved ones.
Unfortunately, much of this emergency transportation is not covered by health insurance plans. Victims are often in for a new shock once they get a bill from these private companies. Obviously, these firms must charge in order to cover their costs, as well as be profitable. Many Americans are already familiar with the increasing fees charged for an ambulance transport by truck--anywhere from $8,000 to $2,000 for transport. Health insurance plans often cover only a portion of ambulance expenses, leaving the patient and their family with the rest to handle out-of-pocket. Sixty percent of private plans pay the entire bill, but that cost is often passed onto policyholders in the form of higher premiums. Public health insurance plans, such as Medicare and Medicaid, are charged a rate discounted by 40% due to their stingy reimbursement rates. Meanwhile, just two percent of the uninsured who have used an air ambulance pay off the charges.
The amount charged is based on an initial fee, plus a certain amount per mile flown. Operators of air ambulances point to several factors when justifying their rates, which range from $8,000 to $25,000. First, they must recoup the costs incurred from those flights not paid for in full; whether those losses are due to health insurance plans stalling reimbursement payments, writing off patients without insurance who lack any resources to pay, and the reduced amounts recieved for those insured by the government. In addition, air ambulances emphasize the millions of dollars in infrastructure that must be invested to provide this service. For example, emergency air transport companies must have operators in far-flung locations and bases able to travel in most states on a moment's basis. Helicopters, which are expensive enough in themselves to acquire and fuel, must also be equipped with the highest quality medical equipment and staff around the clock.
Air ambulances transport over 500,000 people in the United States annually. Most of the time, patients and their loved ones are not provided with clear, reliable information regarding how much the trip will cost them. The ambulances appear at a vulnerable moment; therefore, few individuals take advantage of their legal right to refuse ambulance transport. Some refuse to use a ground ambulance, preferring to have a friend or family member drive them to the hospital in order to avoid fees. However, such a strategy isn't as effective in those situations most likely to require air transport: a patient in critical condition with severe injuries, when the closest treatment center is extremely far away or there are extenuating circumstances that may increase travel time (e.g. rough terrain or traffic). Most people don't know what amount of emergency transport is covered in their health insurance plans, because that provision is typically hidden in the fine print. As a result, those with high-deductible health insurance plans or Health Savings Accounts are unable to shop around for the best deal.
As an increasing percentage of Americans has been driven to bankruptcy through medical debt, new solutions have been introduced to mitigate the negative impact ambulance costs can have on a family's or individual's finances. Now, there have been supplemental insurance plans offered by air ambulance companies, which allow careful consumers to pay a fee in exchange for free emergency transportation. These programs, such as Northwest MedStar, cover any of the costs left over after health insurance plans pay their share. Such memberships can be especially helpful to those living in rural areas where hospitals are distant, or those employed in dangerous lines of work. However, these products are not as strictly regulated as standard health insurance plans, so research is necessary if one chooses to go down that route.
