Medical air ambulance bill!!!

[BasserJim]

You’re talking about a ride on a 8 million dollar helicopter that costs a couple thousand an hour to operate before a 4-500 thousand dollar overhaul every couple hundred hours of flight time. It seems like a lot but those things aren’t cheap to operate before the salaries of the highly skilled medical professionals that are providing top of the line care inside.

[lozbasser17]

Bills around here start at 30!grand

[brolland]

It ain't cheap for sure. Our son got us a 5 year Air Evac insurance policy for Christmas. I think is was less than $200. A lot folks don't know you can buy the insurance. If your old like us it might not be a bad idea to have it.

I just wanted to let you know that what Air Evac sells is NOT insurance. It’s only a Membership. Many folks get this confused and some of Air Evacs member sales also will tout this as an Insurance. This Membership allows the use of their Air Medical Services in the event of a Life or Death or Limb threatening incident. When billing occurs, as long as the flight was life or limb threatening, they will bill your Personal (Auto, Homeowners) Insurance and write off any balance owed. IF you are flown for anything other than that, you’ll be responsible for an part of the bill that is NOT paid by any Insurance you have. It’s a cluster the way they sell it, but I used to work for them and am very familiar with their Membership plans. On a scene flight where the ground EMS calls for the Helo, First Reaponders are the only ones who can call for a chopper. If they’re a bit over zealous and request a flight and you end up not having life or limb threatening issues, the bill falls on your shoulders after any Insurance pays their part. If your out of their territory or if your in an area where they have choppers, it’s possible that you might not get their helicopter if another service is closer. In that instance, they’re Membership is void. Happens all the time.

Aviation EMS is outta control with pricing. There are NO standards in place that control out of control billing. The Government has refused for years to get involved to add controls. You’ll find all kinds of stories online. Just Google EMS Aviation billing issues. You’ll find many horror stories.

[OkieBud]

We have a friend who 2 year old son was airlifted from Tulsa to Okc children hospital and it was 76,000.00 and change. His insurance covered 80% of it..

[NNYBassangler]

Around here it's 40-50 grand for a medevac. I've seen it used alot when it's not needed and it is very costly if not needed.....

[LTZ25]

They are full of crap charging 50 grand , those helicopters might cost 1.5 million $ .

[mzack]

I had a subtalor joint fusion in my left ankle done about 14 yrs ago. It was all handled through my health insurance. The bill from the Rothman Institute was 50k. The insurance co. Sent me the summary stating they paid 20k and that I owed $25 for my copay that was never collected. That was back when we actually had some type of "health insurance" before it was made non existent. If the same thing happened today, I would be better off financially to have no health insurance. My point is 14 yrs ago, that would be no big deal for a productive member of society. Today I would be shitting bricks waiting for that bill.

[texoma]

We have the membership or something that helps incase

[medicpelle]

They are full of crap charging 50 grand , those helicopters might cost 1.5 million $ .

I work in that field and I'll tell you that I can't put into words how ignorant that statement is.

[Ky-triton]

Friend of mine was in an auto accident in February. Aiir Evac from Murray Hospital to Vanderbilt was just over $50k.

[LTZ25]

I was wrong but what model on mid size chopper costs 8 million ?

[john tr 21]

I just said a prayer for your son. I hope he will be OK. And yes the cost is rediculous. I just received my bill for gall bladder surgery. $19k! From the time I walked in to the hospital until the time I walked out was less than 4 hours. There was a charge of over $2k for pharmacy. I wasn't given any medication. The charge for recovery room was over $2k. I was in the recovery room less than 30 minutes. I know you can't put a price on your health, but damn. I'm convinced insurance isn't the problem. It's the inflated medical costs.

You weren't giving any medication ? U had to have anesthesia and ibet they gave u a pre-op drug and u probably got pain meds in the recovery .

[Skeeter_]

I was wrong but what model on mid size chopper costs 8 million ?

Bell 430s are popular and they run about 7 million plus all the medical extras that have to go into them so 8 million is pretty accurate.

[john tr 21]

I work in that field and I'll tell you that I can't put into words how ignorant that statement is.

I'll 2nd that ! I

[BasserJim]

I was wrong but what model on mid size chopper costs 8 million ?

Go buy a dual engine helicopter and fit it with an ambulance interior and get back to me.

[cbell58]

64,000 for a trip for a 50 mile trip couple years ago, between insurance and air evac i was out 0.00

[boneil]

Clearly by some of the replies, they need to start offering emergency air lifts with a cheaper option.........maybe:

[cashion1]

Clearly by some of the replies, they need to start offering emergency air lifts with a cheaper option.........maybe:

Now you're using your thinking cap.
6-8 Drones should do the trick.

[RFSims]

Grandson was in a 4 wheeler crash. A tree limb went through his hamstring/groin. Helicopter ride 55 miles $45,000. Insurance paid the bill.

[Duece22]

In Ohio in my area..about 15k for a copter ride.