What happens if someone at your company is away on business, suffers a health emergency, and immediately needs to be transferred to a hospital better equipped to handle the situation. In the moment, it’s a no brainer: coordinate an emergency helicopter to get them to where they need (which is easier said than done).
But what about when the bill arrives? Emergency air evacuation can be the difference between saving and losing a life, but it can really leave you reeling with the high cost. Typically considered an out-of-network charge, the bill is rarely covered by the primary plan. An air ambulance bill typically has two parts: the lift-off fee which can be as high as $15,000 and a per-mile charge. The actual bill can range from an average of $40,000 to the hundred thousands in extreme cases.
You may think that these types of situations are rare, but according to the Merck Manual, one in 30 international travelers will require some form of emergency care.
Real-life example:
In 2014 the CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, required air evacuation from a cruise ship due to a kidney stone attack. His wellbeing was dependent on the ability to get him off the ship to a location where he could receive the appropriate care.
Back to our example—what do you do? Make the employee foot the bill? Ask your insurance company to step in? Get into a battle with the air ambulance company over the unexpected expense?
There’s no easy answer in a moment like this, especially when receiving the evacuation was a matter of life and death.
That’s why we include fully paid air evacuations in our Ultimate Health plan. We know that emergencies happen and the last thing on anyone’s mind should be how to pay for a lifesaving solution. Visit www.ArmadaCare.com to learn more.
“It’s time to negotiate air ambulance charges.”