Life flight

[RJK70]

How do you find out if your policy cover life flight? Just call your health insurance company?

[rvd]

We have MASA. When my wife was life flighted last year after she went into cardiac arrest from El Campo to the Med center the cost was about 50k. Our primary insurance covered a chunk and then MASA covered the rest, we paid nothing out of pocket. I believe we pay about $9 a month for the service, I highly recommend it.

[Wall_Hanger]

My wife was flown via Life Flight in September 2014. Her flight was 9 minutes and our bill was ~$41k. Our insurance was really good at the time but they still only cover a percentage up to the "allowable amount". If you think your policy includes air ambulatory services 100% I would caution you to make certain of that. Our EOB claimed 100% for all emergency transportation but again that is up to the "allowable amount". For her flight that amount was $1800. I fought this for 2 years and went through a mediation with the insurance company and eventually we settled the dispute but it was hell. I highly recommend the add on air-specific policies.

[RJK70]

How do you find out if your policy cover life flight? Just call your health insurance company?

Just called my insurance company. If it's due to an accident it's covered in network. If it's transferring between hospitals then it is good to call and get authorization.

[travlinman]

FYI, there are companies like Global Rescue that as long as you are 100 miles or more from home they will arrange medical evacs. You would need to buy an annual policy. Not sure of the cost. Family policy is $500 or so bucks a year.

[travlinman]

We have MASA. When my wife was life flighted last year after she went into cardiac arrest from El Campo to the Med center the cost was about 50k. Our primary insurance covered a chunk and then MASA covered the rest, we paid nothing out of pocket. I believe we pay about $9 a month for the service, I highly recommend it.

This MASA insurance is the best way to go. I know the sales rep. $10 a month is all.

[Shane]

I'm an AirMedCare network member. Includes Air Evac, Guardian Flight, Met Trans and REACH.

Hopefully I'm covered if something ever happens

AirMedCare is what we have. My parents have it too. My dad had to be flown from a hospital in Amarillo to a hospital in Dallas last summer, and AMC paid for all of it. It would have been $40-50K if he didn't have the insurance.

[Man]

Just curious...does anyone know someone who was life flighted that didn't really need to be causing them to be 50K in the hole?

[AlwaysGigEm]

I've only known two people that have used it.

One was a friend who was involved in a fatal four wheeler accident on a lease outside of del rio.

Another was my cousin who rolled his car on a gravel road and eventually had to be put into a halo for 6 months. His bill was right at $63,000, and that was back in 1999. They got no help for insurance.

[Wall_Hanger]

Just called my insurance company. If it's due to an accident it's covered in network. If it's transferring between hospitals then it is good to call and get authorization.

When you talk to them, make sure and ask what the coverage limitations are. This right here is how we ended up in a 2 year long legal battle with our insurance company. In our case, the EOB listed transportation covered at 100% with "no limitations" which ultimately is what we used to win our case. They have since revised all their literature to reflect that they will cover up to the allowable amount.

[rferg84]

https://www.airmedcarenetwork.com/membership/

This is who I have membership with.

I'm kinda in the middle of a couple different companies and this alliance is part of both.

$85/year is cheap compared to a 50k helicopter ride. I know enough people (2 or 3) that have had to pay that out of pocket that I'd rather just have some cheap insurance.

[bklem]

This MASA insurance is the best way to go. I know the sales rep. $10 a month is all.

I am seeing $540.00 per single and $720.00 per family for annual membership?

[RJK70]

When you talk to them, make sure and ask what the coverage limitations are. This right here is how we ended up in a 2 year long legal battle with our insurance company. In our case, the EOB listed transportation covered at 100% with "no limitations" which ultimately is what we used to win our case. They have since revised all their literature to reflect that they will cover up to the allowable amount.

Thanks for the heads up. I called and checked, they said it does not show any limits. However when dealing with insurance I could see them making it difficult like they did in your situation.


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[Quackerbox]

I had no idea you could buy into 'coverage'. I also knew it was expensive and wonder who pays for the 3-4 life-flight scenes we deal with a month. Oh wait....we are

[TreyRo]

Just curious...does anyone know someone who was life flighted that didn't really need to be causing them to be 50K in the hole?

Mine was 17k... I didn't need it and tried to refuse it.