Comments on: Escambia Inks Agreement For Medical Helicopters With A Goal Of The Fastest Response

By: cc

cc — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 16:28:20 +0000

just wanted to put out there October of 2020 I was transported from Walnut Hill to West Florida hospital via air method it took 1 hour 1 minute from the time they called to the time they landed back at West Florida hospital. just beware these air ambulance charges a unreasonable amount I was billed $57,181 in which my insurance company denied claim because a lot of insurance policies does not cover helicopter, only covers ambulance rides. the only reason I’m posting this is so maybe it helps someone else.

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 13:56:47 +0000

Fact – Air ambulances fly with both a nurse and advanced paramedic and have more tools/drugs/experience in the helicopter as compared to an ambulance. Sometimes the helicopter crew has to do a life-saving intervention on-scene, delaying takeoff, that would have not happened if it was just the ambulance crew. So, even though it seems that the helicopter did not save much time (though, it usually does), the interventions and treatment performed by the highly- trained and experienced crew make for a positive outcome that would have been otherwise if the ambulance had not called the helicopter. Thanks to the trained helicopter crew and the ambulance crew knowing when to call them.

Fact – air ambulance helicopters are expensive to operate, the pilots, paramedics, and nurses are more experienced than most, and it costs money to maintain this capability on an on-call status. Add this to the fact that emergency services lawfully cannot be denied and there are so many people who do not pay (so those who can pay have to foot the bill for those who don’t).

Fact – I’d rather be an indebted living person than a debt-free corpse.

Fact – there’s a lot of improvement that can still be made in the emergency medicine industry, in our medical system, and in our society as a whole. But, in today’s environment, this is a good move by Escambia County.

Fact – some of the above is actually “opinion” (though the first two points are definitely “fact”) so don’t take my word for it. Research on your own.

Fact – eat a diet high in fresh fruit and vegetables, reduce your sugar and protein intake, exercise, and turn off the TV and you’ll be a lot healthier old person and will likely avoid a lot of acute illness (obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, all identified as associated with acute COVID infection, by the way) and, hence, avoid a ride to the hospital in a helicopter or ambulance.

By: Century

Century — Sun, 25 Jul 2021 15:29:43 +0000

It’s a shame they cost so much. When people travel from state to state the life flight cost lot more.

By: Candace

Candace — Sun, 25 Jul 2021 10:31:29 +0000

The top picture is a picture of my daughter when she was in an accident in front of the school. Our bill was $49,955.32. We were told that it would be faster for her to fly then go on the ambulance (which was already there). We got to the hospital at the same time as she did. This was in Sept last year. We are still fighting the them. The car insurance paid over $10k, the health insurance settled for over $23k and now they are asking us to pay the rest. Which our health insurance is saying they should not be asking us for that since they settled. Which the billing people, they say one thing and then do something else.

By: Can’t say

Can’t say — Sun, 25 Jul 2021 03:17:35 +0000

If you think a helicopter ride is $15,000.00 you are way out of touch with reality. In 2015 my grandmother was flown from the Century -Flomaton area to a Pensacola hospital. The bill was for $59,695.00. It was a $32,000.00 lift fee and over $800.00 per statute mile. There is insurance available for flights. But each company has their own insurance. So if your insured through MedTrans, Air Methods will not accept it. Also because NO helicopters have contracts with commercial insurance. So if your insurance only covers $7,000.00 of that bill, YOU are responsible for the remaining balance.

Before you say that I don’t know what I’m talking about…. I flew for one of these companies for over 10 years. I left on my own terms and could go back to work there. So I’m not bitter. I just decided after I saw the real charges (my grandmother), this was ethically not in line with my personal beliefs when people are in need and don’t know the charges. Someone should also not have to make a decision on their loved one based on these outrageous charges.

By: Robert M

Robert M — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 23:24:44 +0000

The 95 dollar figure is only if you have the right insurance. Typically, if your policy does not cover helo transport you will be billed three times the insured price and they will come after you. My desire is for the prices to be available to the public just like the hospitals have to publish their prices.

By: Resident

Resident — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 22:49:36 +0000

“The average out of pocket cost for Baptist Lifeflight for escambia county residents was $95 dollars last year. ”

I have a really, really BCBS plan with low copays and deductibles. But ambulances and air ambulances (helicopters) are only covered at 80% in or out of network. So a $15,000 flight, negotiated down to an “insurance rate” of about $10,000 left me with $2,000 out of pocket.

LifeFlight…show me the $95 plan!

By: Not all are equal!

Not all are equal! — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 20:39:40 +0000

The average out of pocket cost for Baptist Lifeflight for escambia county residents was $95 dollars last year. They are in network with a lot of major insurances. This was stated in the county commissioner meeting two weeks ago.

By: Willis

Willis — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 20:01:36 +0000

So Mr. Underhill has bought property in D5 ?

By: Citizen

Citizen — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 18:35:35 +0000

The bad news is Underhill is moving to D5.