Helicopter evac companies / costs after accident?

[RANBUSH]

Mods - please delete if it's not okay to bring up this topic here.

Two friends of mine have recently told me stories about their experience after a crash in a remote area of the California mountains and their evac with a nationally known Helicopter rescue company. Both my friends said they were charged +/- $75K to be airlifted from the crash site to a hospital that was capable of treating their injuries. Each rider said their insurance company paid _part_ of the cost, but each rider was still on the hook for five figure dollar amounts.

In both cases the rider was unconscious and unable to authorize the need for air transport as opposed to ground transport or other treatment.

I spoke to my evac response vendor (ACMxxxxN) and they said it is up to the Helicopter rescue company and the victim's insurance company to decide on what the rider pays. ACMxxxxN tells me they will pay all my costs.

Is this an accurate description of how a typical evac response happens? I understand that it is prudent to take all precautions with an unconscious accident patient. But $XXXXX out of pocket that the rider has to pay? Really?

 

[slowpokepete]

I wonder if the No Surprises Act applies here?

https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises

SPP

 

[brownie0486]

I have a MASA medical air ambulance policy that also covers ground transport. 100% payment when you file the claim correctly. Haven't had to use it fortunately so whether they pay the full freight or not is unknown.

 

[skibum69]

I think those costs are included with SPOT and InReach services.

 

[akbeemer]

We have SkyMed. Pays for all medical transportation costs, not covered by your insurance, from the point of injury to hospital, transfers from medical facility to medical facility (including rehabilitation facilities) and home. They will also recover and transport your motorcycle to your home. They also coordinate transportation and provide skilled nursing attendants during travel. The coverage includes accidents that occur in your home.

 

[BC1100S]

In both cases the rider was unconscious and unable to authorize the need for air transport as opposed to ground transport or other treatment.

Was the alternative dying?

If that was the other option then sure, fly me to any medical facility you want without my approval.

 

[motodan]

In addition, if travel is close to or in questionable foreign hot spots, would suggest only contracting with sources that advertise their standard pricing includes at least one door gunner.

 

[bigjohnsd]

We have SkyMed. Pays for all medical transportation costs, not covered by your insurance, from the point of injury to hospital, transfers from medical facility to medical facility (including rehabilitation facilities) and home. They will also recover and transport your motorcycle to your home. They also coordinate transportation and provide skilled nursing attendants during travel. The coverage includes accidents that occur in your home.

This here too, and I hope I never have to use it!

 

[pglaves]

This topic is a slippery slope. Sky Med and to a somewhat different (lesser) degree Med Jet are primarily aimed at transferring a patient to a preferred medical facility after initial evaluation or treatment. I understand Med Jet is only from hospital to hospital and Sky Med a bit less restrictive but have not read the fine print recently.

There is also a network of medical air transport providers - AeroCare is one such operating in the Southwest and in south west Texas which is a Member of the AirMedNetwork. These are the folks with helicopters and fixed wing aircraft that do medical air transport often on an emergency basis after a serious medical emergency ie: heart attack, or trauma injury, ie motorcycle or car accident. It may be location to hospital or hospital to hospital. In most cases these are the folks who are called by the police, sheriff, highway patrol, or emergency room when the emergency need arises. Patients are often in no condition to be consulted as to how they wish to be transported.

These providers in essence use an annual individual or family "membership" as a form of an insurance policy. If a transported person is a covered "member" the AirMedNetwork affiliated firm has agreed to accept as full payment the proceeds from any medical insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, etc as full payment and the transported member will not be billed.

We have had this coverage for several years, living where we do most of the year in the Texas Big Bend, fifty three miles from town, 125 miles from a real full-care hospital, Thankfully we have not had the need to test the system. We do have a few friends who have had long helicopter rides and big bills though.

 

[senseamidmadness]

In addition, if travel is close to or in questionable foreign hot spots, would suggest only contracting with sources that advertise their standard pricing includes at least one door gunner.

Playing "Flight of the Valkyries" on loudspeaker also available as part of the Ultra Security Deluxe package.

 

[BC1100S]

Playing "Flight of the Valkyries" on loudspeaker also available as part of the Ultra Security Deluxe package.

Nice.

 

[riderr1150gsadv]

In some western states it used to be that getting a hunting license, included insurance for SAR. Don't know if that still is the case.
Something to look into if you intend to travel in the sticks...

 

[kbasa]

Mods - please delete if it's not okay to bring up this topic here.

Two friends of mine have recently told me stories about their experience after a crash in a remote area of the California mountains and their evac with a nationally known Helicopter rescue company. Both my friends said they were charged +/- $75K to be airlifted from the crash site to a hospital that was capable of treating their injuries. Each rider said their insurance company paid _part_ of the cost, but each rider was still on the hook for five figure dollar amounts.

In both cases the rider was unconscious and unable to authorize the need for air transport as opposed to ground transport or other treatment.

I spoke to my evac response vendor (ACMxxxxN) and they said it is up to the Helicopter rescue company and the victim's insurance company to decide on what the rider pays. ACMxxxxN tells me they will pay all my costs.

Is this an accurate description of how a typical evac response happens? I understand that it is prudent to take all precautions with an unconscious accident patient. But $XXXXX out of pocket that the rider has to pay? Really?

Since you're a fellow Californian, investigate Cal Star for helicopter evacuation coverage.

 

[rwadamsidaho]

In the pacific NW - there are two great option

As a 20 year member of Back Country Horsemen of Idaho I can tell you of the importance of caring this type of insurance as over those years we have both had member and people we have found injured in the back country use the services. Back Country 911 – When training and having the right tools produce a good outcome!


https://www.stlukesonline.org/health-services/specialties/programs/air-st-lukes-membership



https://www.lifeflight.org/

 

[guenner]

A friend of mine just recently was hit by a deer on our way back home from Mariposa.

Paramedics at the accident indicated a couple of broken ribs and possibly a punctured lung. He was then flown thirty miles by helicopter to the next hospital.

He didn't have to pay anything for the helicopter because Medicare covers the cost IF the injury is live threatening. And it was because he couldn't hardly breath.

He recovered from all the even more broken bones they found at the hospital. He is now thinking more than twice not to get on a motorcycle again.

 

[jkjohnson]

Ground ambulances aren't cheap, either

The ambulance business indeed has shocking charges, including ground ambulances, and they have clever means to collect their fees, whether thru various government programs, insurance, you, personally, or by selling the debt to professional debt collection companies, that will have no sympathy for you. If you call Fire or Police to your house, you anticipate that there will be no charge, but it is nevertheless ultimately "paid for" in some manner, usually thru someone's property taxes. But ambulance fees are different, often not "free", even if provided by a fire department. If you incur such a bill, but have no assets, or job, you are may be relatively safe from debt collectors, but most folks that own things or work (e.g., have income could be garnished) will want to mitigate the risk with some sort of insurance. I talked to a helicopter Flight Nurse about 15 years ago and she told me that the average short urban hop in helicopter cost around $15k at the time. If you "subscribe" to a local helicopter evac service (usually around $50/year) they sometimes have reciprocal agreements when you travel out of their coverage area, though you've got to check the contract exclusion clauses to make sure. Other countries may do it differently. Many travel evac policies exclude people doing "hazardous" activities such as riding motos, scuba diving, over the age of 75, etc.

 

[88bmwjeff]

Many travel evac policies exclude people .... over the age of 75, etc.

Great. There's another one of those "joys" of getting older.

 

[motormike]

My mother took a serious fall and struck her head, the paramedics told my father she probably had a concussion and needed to be transported to a hospital in Kansas City (about 50 miles away) so they asked if he wanted to use a life flight helicopter. He said yes. About a month later, he received the bill: $30,000! I remember he said, "Considering the million-dollar+ investment they had in the turbine helicopter and all the personel, he thought it was pretty reasonable. Oh, by the way, that was 30 years ago! eek