Air Ambulances

Medical transport by air remains controversial primarily because of its cost and safety record - Susan Brissette

Air Ambulances

HWN Suggests

Medical Helicopters - Are They Worth the Risk?

If you have a medical emergency you may find yourself being airlifted to a location where there are specialized medical services. At first blush, this rapid transport sounds like one more excellent advance in emergency medical care.

But some are critical of emergency medical helicopters, pointing out the number of accidents that have taken place and calling into question the very high cost of air transportation. Is medical transport by medical helos safe? Does the service bring enough value, such as better patient outcomes, to justify the cost?

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 Helicopters Save Lives for Serious Trauma Victims

Researchers still are unsure what aspect of helicopter lifts plays the biggest role in saving lives. "Is it the speed?" Adil Haider, of the Department of Surgery at Johns Hopkins University and co-author of the new study, asked at a briefing about the new findings. Is it that "the crew that makes it to the helicopter is the best of the best?" Or is it that patients arriving at a medical center via helicopter receive quicker and higher-quality medical attention once they land? "We need to figure out what makes the difference," Haider said.

 The Air-Ambulance Vultures A search for why my flight cost $86,184 led to a hidden culprit: private equity

As private equity tightened its stranglehold on the industry, it jacked up the already-high prices. Between 2008 and 2017, the median price charged by providers for helicopter air ambulances nearly tripled, jumping from $12,500 to $35,900 per flight, according to a study by the Health Care Cost Institute.

Articles of Interest

Air Ambulance Rate Debate Unlikely to Fly Away

Where air ambulances are concerned, health care regulation is at odds with aviation regulation, creating a dispute over rates.

Air Ambulances Are Flying More Patients Than Ever, and Leaving Massive Bills Behind

Rising prices, billing disputes, and a quirk in federal law are creating a new health-care headache.

Air Ambulances: Taking Patients for a Ride

For-profit air-ambulance companies too often pick up people who don’t need air transport—and leave families with huge bills that insurance won’t pay.

Families Fight Back Against Surprise Air Ambulance Bills

“The air ambulance companies have escalated charges tremendously,” said Tom Judge, the executive director of LifeFlight of Maine, a nonprofit that runs air ambulance services for the state. “Patients and their families get caught in the middle.”

Inside an 'Air Ambulance

New Jersey headquarters of Atlantic ambulance corporation where their fleet. Air ambulances and we're here to get a sense of what. Medical evacuation is all about and helicopter.

Prince William Talks About His ‘Incredibly Tough’ Days As An Air Ambulance Pilot

The prince opened up about what he and his team responded to over the years and praised their incredible response time and skill.

The Unfinished Business Of Air Ambulance Bills

Making matters worse, unlike surprise medical bills for services at health facilities, out-of-network bills from air ambulances have been largely shielded from state regulation by judicial interpretations that such state laws are preempted by the Airline Deregulation Act.

When the Only Ambulance Is a Helicopter

In rural areas far from hospitals, an emergency may mean taking a flight—but these lifesaving trips can come with a crushingly high price tag.

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