If an AirMedCare Network Provider does not transport you, you will be responsible for payment. Our membership program only covers transports provided by our affiliates.
There is no limit to the number of transports a member may take in a year. Each transport is handled the same way and must be an emergent or time-sensitive transport as determined by a physician (or other appropriate provider) or first responder unaffiliated with AMCN.
With an AirMedCare Network membership, any person or persons who reside under one (residential) roof are covered. In the event we have a member who lives in a duplex or apartment complex, we designate the primary member’s residence/address— that is considered the “one roof”. Undergraduate college students can be covered under their parent’s membership as well as anyone previously residing in the household who is then moved to a permanent care facility.
Our Network of Providers were among the first air ambulance services to offer a membership program, similar to the ground ambulance and rural fire department programs throughout the United States. The founders knew that for the service to survive in a rural area, they would need other sources of funding besides the traditional fee-for-service billing. Additionally, the founders knew that the service would be costly, and therefore offered a membership program to assist families with the cost and alleviate the financial burden associated with emergency transport.
A variety of factors like increasing operational and fuel costs, supply and workforce shortages and inflation have made it necessary to increase annual membership fees. This wasn't an easy decision. We work hard to keep our memberships affordable for everyone — that's why, for nearly 40 years, there have been just a few rate adjustments.
Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) states that healthcare costs for consumers are projected to rise through 2030.
Healthcare providers are facing many of the same challenges that other industries and individuals are facing — increasing operational and fuel costs, supply and workforce shortages, and inflation. In order to keep up with the rising cost of doing business, we had to make the difficult decision to implement a price increase for our memberships.
Yes! If you renew before January 3, you can renew at 2022 rates. Your membership will be extended from the end of your current expiration date. Where available you can even enroll for multiple years to extend your savings. This is a great way to save.
Yes. We will continue to provide a discount to households where the Primary or Secondary members are at least 60 years old.
Unfortunately, we do not have a Fly-U-Home discount specifically for seniors. However, when you add Fly-U-Home to your current AMCN membership, you do receive a bundling discount.
To ensure coverage remains affordable, we have created a senior pricing option for our primary and/or secondary members who are at least 60 years old.
The primary member is the one in whose name the account is opened. For current member households, we are automatically assigning the person closest in age to the primary member as the secondary member. For new members enrolling online, you can designate the secondary member when adding additional members living in your home to your membership.
Yes. Your husband can be designated as the secondary member and would qualify your household for our senior pricing option. Please contact our call center to confirm that your husband is listed as the primary or secondary member. If not, they can make this change for you.
If your company is still participating in the program, you will still receive a group discount on our standard memberships. If you have questions about your specific company, please call our call center to confirm.
These are all potential sources for payment that can be applied to pay for the transport of any patient, including a member patient, by an AirMedCare Network Provider. Accordingly, any type of insurance- health, auto, medical, liability, etc. – that covers ambulance transport services is included. Any benefit- such as another membership that covers medical services, workers’ compensation benefits, etc. – is included. Any third party who is responsible or liable for paying the cost of medical services, such as an at-fault driver of an automobile or the at-fault person’s liability insurance carrier is also included. Medicare is a secondary payer and requires AirMedCare Network Provider to seek payment from third party liability sources before billing Medicare for patient transports. Many commercial health insurance plans also have rules that, in effect, make third party liability payments primary. Members agree that the AirMedCare Network Provider is entitled to any and all payment received from insurance, benefit providers and/or any third party for air medical services provided by the AirMedCare Network Provider.
The answer varies, depending upon the nature of your transport and your supplemental insurance provider. In many cases, Medicare and the supplemental insurance coverage should pay for the cost of transport if it is medically necessary and if Medicare believes you were taken to the closest appropriate hospital. However, AMCN has seen cases in which the supplemental insurance provider does not cover a remaining balance after Medicare has paid its portion. Many seniors have said they want a membership even if they have complete coverage, in the event that their insurance coverage changes in the future or if the claim is denied. Often time’s supplemental insurance won’t pay if your primary insurance denies. In those circumstances, membership is very beneficial.
No. Some state laws prohibit Medicaid beneficiaries from being offered membership or accepted into membership programs. As part of our application process, members certify to AirMedCare Network that they are not Medicaid beneficiaries, with AirMedCare Network providers accepting Medicaid as full payment for services rendered.
Most insurance companies will pay 100% of what they deem an allowable amount for air ambulance or emergent ground, which does not necessarily mean that the total cost of the transport will be covered. For example, even after insurance pays, you may have a remaining balance due to co-pay, deductible, co-insurance, or because your insurance’s allowable amount does not cover the total charges. Additionally, people frequently change insurance companies and plan designs. You may want to check with your individual insurance company to find out exactly how much they will cover in the case of an AMCN transport. Lastly, your insurance may decide that the flight does not fit a specific parameter covered under your policy and deny payment. Membership will cover the cost of the flight for you, even if your insurance does not.
No, for the reasons described above. While AirMedCare Network appreciates operating under a team-oriented approach to provide the highest levels of patient care and service in the regions it serves, it is strongly committed to complying with all applicable healthcare regulatory guidelines, as well as all rules and regulations governing its participation in both Medicare and state Medicaid programs. Therefore, AMCN cannot honor other unaffiliated air medical provider memberships.
No. In recent years, questions have arisen regarding whether so-called “bedside” memberships can be offered. This occurs when a patient in a hospital or other facility is offered to sign-up for a membership contemporaneously with an air transport. Under the Anti-Kickback Statute, such an arrangement would be considered remuneration because patient transportation is imminent and AMCN in essence would be discounting the patient obligation. Thus, if bedside memberships were permitted, membership fees collected from members would no longer “reasonably approximate” the amounts that these individuals would expect to spend for cost-sharing amounts over the period covered by the membership agreement.
No. AirMedCare Network Providers are strongly committed to complying with all applicable healthcare regulatory guidelines, as well as all rules and regulations governing its participation in both Medicare and state Medicaid programs. In order to avoid even the appearance of non-compliance with applicable health care regulatory guidelines, AirMedCare Network does not offer discounted memberships to people solely because they are healthcare or emergency personnel, given that such special discounts to healthcare or emergency personnel might be viewed as an attempt to influence referrals.
Yes. AirMedCare Network Providers work very closely with ground EMS agencies. These agencies request AirMedCare Network to transport their patients when medically necessary. AirMedCare Network Providers also prepare appropriate training and education for ground EMS agencies.
There may be times when the AMCN provider aircraft in your area is committed to assisting another patient transport or is out of service for maintenance or inclement weather. In those instances, we may be able to call one of our other AirMedCare Network Providers from an adjoining service area. In some cases, however, you may need to be transported by a ground ambulance or another air ambulance service that is not a participating provider in the AirMedCare Network. It is important that you get to the medical care you need as quickly as possible, no matter the mode of transportation, so you will have the best chances for survival and degree of recovery.
When an air ambulance provider is called, time is of the essence. Patients in life-threatening situations often need specialty centers to provide the interventions needed. AirMedCare Network Providers will take a patient to the closest appropriate medical facility as determined by physicians or EMS personnel. Whenever possible, physicians or EMS personnel consult with the patient or the patient’s families as these decisions are being made.
Air ambulances are valuable and scarce resources that should be reserved for those times when a patient is facing an emergent or time-sensitive condition, and it is in their best interest to get to medical care in a timely fashion.
If your medical emergency meets certain criteria, such as a heart attack, stroke or a traumatic injury, and the 911 dispatcher determines you would benefit from emergent ground or air medical transport, they may dispatch an air ambulance to your emergency, as well as a ground ambulance. If you require an emergent medical transport from one hospital to another hospital, those transfers are ordered by physicians. In the event that the AirMedCare Network Operations Center receives a call for emergency help from an individual or source other than a healthcare or emergency services agency, AirMedCare Network Providers communication specialists will identify and contact the ground EMS service in the patient’s community and ask them to respond to the scene. If they determine air medical transport is needed, they will dispatch one of our air ambulance providers.
As we continue to put patients first, AirMedCare Network’s providers are there to provide access to lifesaving air medical transportation. Learn the facts about membership.
