When are air ambulances used?

Air ambulances are used to quickly transport patients in life-threatening medical situations or to transport between hospitals. They are often used in cases involving stroke, heart attack, respiratory diseases, pregnancy complications, severe burns, head injury, spinal cord injury, or other traumatic injuries.

How much does an air ambulance flight cost?

Using air ambulances can be expensive. According to the NAIC, an average cost for one air ambulance flight is tens-of-thousands of dollars. The cost will vary based on the type of aircraft, the air ambulance company used, the services provided by the air ambulance, and the travel distance to the hospital.

Does my insurance cover it?

Air ambulance costs may be covered in your health insurance policy or in a travel insurance policy, but there are situations where you may not be covered or your insurance company will only pay for part of the cost. Do not assume insurance will pay for the full cost of an air ambulance. You will likely have out-of-pocket costs based on the deductibles and coinsurance amounts in your policy.

If your insurance company does not approve a doctor’s recommendation for the air ambulance as medically necessary, you may not be covered. You may also only be covered if you are within a certain number of miles from an airstrip or airport.

Additionally, if the air ambulance company is not part of your insurance company’s network of providers, then the insurer and air ambulance company may disagree on the cost of the service, and you could be responsible for the remainder of the bill or possibly the entire amount.

*️⃣  Medicare may pay for air ambulance services to the nearest medical facility if the emergency occurs in the United States and requires immediate and rapid transportation.