A medical emergency is very critical. Once a loved one gets into an accident or is in critical condition, you would want to bring them to the nearest and best hospital at the shortest time. This is the purpose of an air ambulance as this type of aircraft is equipped with specialized medical equipment and flies intensive care unit patients but many will be asking how much does life flight cost.
Cost Of An Air Ambulance
Who would not want a faster travel time during an emergency? That is why the air ambulance is becoming a popular choice for many people who are in a medical emergency. The air ambulance cost will depend greatly on the distance flown, the type of aircraft used, and the medical needs of the patient on board as well as the cost of the fuel.
There are many air ambulance that is covered by your health insurance. You would have to check with your medical insurance if this option is available on your plan. If you are covered, then the out-of-pocket cost will consist of a co-pay amounting to $50 to $500 depending on the distance. The insurance usually covers 10% to 50% of the total cost of the transportation.
If your insurance does not cover the medevac helicopter charge or if you don’t have one, then you would have to shoulder the whole cost including the jet fuel, the type or aircraft rented, the distance it takes to reach the destination as well as the medical staff needed to accompany the patient. This will usually cost $2000 for a short ride but will reach as much as $50000 for a domestic flight alone.
If you are going to travel the patient for a longer distance or even out of the country, the distance covered will be very far and the fuel consumed will cost you as high as $200,000.
As a sample, if you are going to travel around 55 miles on a twin engine airplane and accompanied by a paramedic then you will likely pay around $2500. But if you are traveling via a light jet coming from Kansas to Los Angeles together with a flight paramedic, then the amount that you have to pay will be $25,000.
If you are coming from New York and going to California on an Air Ambulance, you will be charged $37,500 together with a staff and a paramedic.
The air ambulance cost if you are traveling internationally, from Arizona going to Australia, will be very high. If you are traveling on a light jet plane together with paramedics on board, you would have to prepare $155,000 for the fee. The price will even increase if you bring along a doctor and a nurse, the cost will go up to $160,000
If you are traveling on the Air Ambulance to an international location and is onboard a midsize jet, the company will charge you around $177,000 and if you bring with you a doctor and a nurse to assist your patient, the amount will go up to as much as $182000.
Cost-Saving Technique for Air Ambulance
How much does life flight cost and how you can save on the cost is very critical. As you have known now, the cost of an air ambulance is very high so finding a way to save on fees is important. The first thing you need to consider is if the condition of your patient would need an air ambulance transfer or if a regular road ambulance will do.
Determine the travel time it would take if you take the road ambulance and the air ambulance. If the travel time with a road ambulance is sufficient enough for the patient then use it instead.
If your patient is fairly stable and would need to be traveled on long distances, then you can opt to take a commercial flight and hire a specially trained medical escort to accompany the patient. This way your patient can travel faster but at a fraction of the air ambulance cost.
You should also several companies who offer air ambulance service and compare their prices, choose the best one which is cost-effective yet can give you what you need.
Also, look for charity air ambulance. There are some charities who has contact to air ambulances that might give you a discounted price. Check your insurance company if they offer this service or if you don’t have an insurance, getting one would be a great option for you.
Another way is to check for a company that provides control cost on their service. Ask if they provide multiple medical means of transport. These are Air Ambulance Company that looks for a backhaul or empty leg. This means that they will utilize an aircraft in both directions. Through this, the travel cost will be divided between 2 parties.
You should also ask what accreditation and license the air ambulance provider have. Check the license of the medical assistant and paramedics and ask what their equipment and facilities are. This is crucial as you only want the best service for the fee that you are about to pay.
Talk to a company that offers their air ambulance and tell them the urgency of your need and how much you can shell out as they may offer you a payment plan on flexible terms.
Other Expenses On Air Ambulance Usage
There are other costs that you need to shoulder aside from the air ambulance. There are companies that do not include the ground ambulance transport from the aircraft to the hospital. Also, you would have to check with the air ambulance if their paramedic can assist your patient going to the hospital or if you would have to hire one once you land.
Always remember that life is important and saving one is critical in this kind of service. Weight in your options and make sure that you do your research so that you will know how much the medevac helicopter charge is and what the other expenses are. You would want to weight in your budget as air ambulance service is very expensive despite its important service.