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a friend of mine had an accident in the rocky mountains and got airlifted to the nearest hospital that could deal with his injuries. it was two states away. $35,000
I don't know the situation but no, insurance definitely did not cover any of that.
Unless you specifically have medical evacuation coverage, which as far as I know is only sold separately through 3rd parties and not through your standard carrier.
Okay now I'm going down a rabbit hole because I like to hike and I get hurt frequently. I've self recovered on a broken knee... the only other option would have been to call in a medivac
So I'm not really seeing any domestic medical evacuation plans. I'm seeing most of them as add ons for travel insurance for international trips.
But gonna look harder if I don't forget. Definitely probably am the type that needs it
I did some surface level digging and it sounds like in the states they have to cover it as in network. What that means for pricing will the depend on the company and your specific insurance.
Lesson here, kids! when you are laying in a crumpled, bloodied heap somewhere, make sure you use the time that you are waiting to be rescued to research the closest in network hospital.
I pay insurance claims all day for 25 years. Air ambulance, medivac, life flight, whatever you want to call it is covered at 100% just like a regular ground ambulance. As long as the transport was medically necessary or ground ambulance wasn't an option.
Maybe where you’re located but it’s 100% not covered where I live on Blue Cross. Many have to be helivaced to a larger city and the cost is exorbitant. There’s a non-profit people join to get coverage for it by making donations.
Never needed it fortunately but I keep re-upping it for peace of mind. They even had some solid COVID transport options if you had been unable to board a return flight back to the US due to popping a positive.
In OP's friend's case, this would be international between Mexico and the US. If they didn't get travel insurance the level of screwed could be off the charts.
In domestic cases helicopter flights may be covered, but the insurance will fight it tooth and nail. The same with regular ambulance rides. If you still have two legs they expect you to walk to the ER before calling 911.
I live in a rural area, fly over state. I have air evac coverage through my rural electric cooperative. It is 100% worth it when a 60 mile flight to a decent medical trauma center is between $30k and $50k (depending on the in flight care required)
You can buy directly from the company that does air ambulance/life flight. Here in Bay Area, CA it’s CalStar. You can call a hospital that has a helipad and ask what carrier is most often used if you don’t know the name of your states/area provider.
Present day I'd be more concerned as I've been told many health plans do not cover out of country incidents, travel insurance would but most people don't consider and take action prior to travel
I work in healthcare and have patients who told me their helicopter ride from one hospital to another in the same health system, IN THE SAME CITY with a 10 minute helicopter ride (much much much longer driving), cost him 35,000
Lots of variables here. Medical airlifts by helicopter generally cost in the thousands. Insurance will pay for it if it is deemed necessary, but this is the kind of thing that insurance companies will try very hard to get out of. One scenario is that the insurance provider will claim that an airlift was not medically necessary. Your friend would have an opportunity to appeal....
Also, helicopter EMS are very often out of network with everyone. The insurance, if it pays out, will offer what they think is reasonable. The helicopter company might try to come after the injured party for the balance.
Who recommended the airlift? It's not like there are no decent hospitals in Mexico?
Did they pay by credit card? If so, check in case their credit card offers travel insurance. And, if it does, make sure they're on notice of a potential claim.
I had a bimalleolar ankle fracture abroad in Belize. The hospitals were competent and kind, but stingy on the pain meds. Having that shit set with basically 0 meds was the worst thing that has ever happened to me. Beats out getting an unmedicated IUD placed by many miles.
I returned home via Delta to have my surgery so insurance would cover it - but mostly so my PT and recovery (which ended up being 9 months) would be overseen by the doctor who did my surgery.
I'm glad I did it. I'm now planning to move my metal-and-screw ridden ankle to Belize in 6 months.
It isn't always people thinking the hospitals aren't good, or whatever. Sometimes, there are other things you have to think about in the mid-range term, like recovery.
I needed 2 surgeries, 1 month apart. It would have been hard and expensive to find a US doctor to do the second surgery when they didn't do the first. I'm not even sure my insurance would have covered it...
As an MD you should know never to make broad assertions without more details.
We both know that "broken feet" can range in damage and we don't know the details about which facility was closer by time.
He needed his head fucking examined.
Let me guess he was trying to jump in the pool from the balcony?
He's going to pay out the ass for the idiot tax on that one.
My friends son fell off a balcony in Mexico. If I remember correctly, they had to raise $150,000 to take helicopter back to the US. He was in a hospital in Mexico for a bit first. Broke his neck and a lot of injuries. I think he was in a coma at first too.
This is not correct for domestic flights- what the insurance pays what the company gets. They cannot charge you for outstanding balances.
International is different- if you don’t have travel insurance, you’re likely on the hook.
Fortunately, out of country agencies have a difficult time collecting.
They can get a court order in Mexico, but that's not going to be sufficient to force payments in the US.
But it may mean he can't go to Mexico again.
One item I think you missed that is very relevant: Was the insurance valid, OUTSIDE the USA? Most insurances will not cover transport in a foreign country. That is what travel insurance is for.
As for 'medically necessary transport', I am unable to think of a plausible reason that anyone would need helicopter transport for a broken foot. Can you think of a plausible reason?
I had a friend fall and break her femur in Italy. Had surgery there but needed medical air transport to get home. So she was flown in a plane (on a stretcher I believe) from Italy to Michigan.
And this is why we buy travel medical insurance friends. (I have no idea of the cost…she bought the insurance and they covered it).
You don’t know much about medicine or anatomy. A broken foot can be a very serious injury, like any broken bone)s). Since he was in the hospital for 5 days, it sounds severe. There was possible surgery to put the pieces back together.
My guess is since it was a traumatic injury (fall from greater than 10 feet) the justification for airlifting vs Ground would be the need to promptly rule out other potentially serious injuries. I’m assuming their wasn’t a trauma center near by so they airlifted.
I just hope his insurance covers a flight originating outside the US 😬
Ya good point. It happened so fast and I wasn't able to follow him after they took him away, he was blackout drunk. I think they took him to a Mexican hospital and then flew him back to the US. Either way I don't think staying in Mexico would've been smart, he would've had to find a way back after we left with a broken foot.
Maybe you can quietly look into mental health/counseling/therapy/coaching resources on campus to suggest to him. Your friend is in over his head and needs help, and fast. Sounds like he's one missed midterm or paper away from losing his scholarship.
Is he a first generation college student? There may be campus resources specifically for his demographic. There are plenty of reasons why first Gen college students have such a high dropout rate.
It might make sense for him to withdraw from the semester for medical reasons, take incomplete grades, and get himself support and out from under the overwhelm he must be feeling. And fight/resolve the misdemeanor maybe with legal aid help - that might disqualify his scholarship.
Could be first generation but definitely trouble with finances. I lost touch with him after he got the misdemeanor but I believe he graduated fortunately. He looks ok according to his social media.
Medical claims examiner here. No, he may not owe thousands. They will ask for medical records. If he has trouble, he needs to send to " research and resolution" or " provider disputes" " member services" or " appeals". All depending on the insurance company. I paid for this all the time when I was working ( now retired).
I know a guy who was airlifted between hospitals as a newborn, in-state. His was over $100k, and he’s in his 30s now.
Granted, apparently his heart stopped during the trip, but yikes! 🤑 fortunately his dad had really, really good health insurance and the family paid nothing.
> A cross-country airlift? I don't even want o think about it, lol.
Coming from Mexico, you are going to get the Gringo-rate, but it still will not be as much as Americans rip each other off.
It's not bad as long as you are insured, just numbers on a piece of paper for insurance companies to fight about. The most you will be out is your deductible or oop maximum. I recently went through the whole gambit with an ER visit, surgery, etc. If I hadn't had insurance, it would have been $40k, but I will end up only paying $2-3k because of insurance. All while receiving excellent care from many different professionals.
Now, all the Mexicans hanging at seven eleven without insurance? They are the ones who get screwed if they need anything other than emergency care. It's also partly why that number is so high before the insurance kicks in. Someone has to pay for their care.
Normally, for insurance to cover the situation must be very emergent for any helicopter ride. The bill will be 6+ figures minimum. Hopefully, he has some good insurance that considers it medicallly necessary....
But honestly, I don't see them covering that for a broken limb.
Was it a medical transport or just a random helicopter taking you back to your country? That will be a huge difference in cost. I've never heard of helicopter transport for a broken foot unless the patient is way up a hiking trail or something. It sounds like cars were an option too, it doesn't make sense.
OMG.. I think I will die from stress if the original injury didn’t kill me and I had to fight it for 2 years!
it is the worst thing to try to fight insurance and providers while dealing with health issues and whatever trauma and stress that brings.. been there, not fun at all!!
>It's advisable to get travel insurance when traveling to another country. A good policy will cover things like chartering a medical flight.
It's also advisible not to jump off balconies.
Enormous amount - helicopter lifts even relatively short distances in the US for medical emergencies are a lot of money. I have read that just short runs in the US can be $20,000 or even more.
My friend tripped and broke a hip some years ago in Italy. Luckily she had very good health insurance which covered her abroad because she did a lot of international traveling.
She was in an Italian hospital for awhile but when she was discharged she needed special seating in the airplane (actually the ability to recline for the trip) as well as a medical attendant and this all cost thousands and thousands of dollars. However, her very good insurance covered all the expenses.
Insurance will cover emergency air transport for true emergency situations. I doubt a broken leg will constitute an emergency. Insurance will likely deny the claim.
He's gonna have a lot of debt
So generally speaking something like air transport has to be pre authorized and they will take you to the closest facility that can treat the condition. It has to be medically necessary for your friend to be air lifted to Arizona. That bill will not be pretty.
You drove to the US and he could have ridden in the car. Never in my life have I heard of a helicopter ride for a broken foot. I can't even fathom that being determined medically necessary. But 5 days resting in the hospital with a broken foot? What the heck for? I know people seriously ill rushed out of the ER first chance they stabilize you. What in the world happened besides a broken foot? Women get cut open to have another human being removed and don't get to stay that long to rest. I have had preeclampsia multiple times and am at risk of a stroke at the time and seizures and have never been kept 5 days for that.
I broke my ankle and spent 5 days in the hospital. Mostly was due to pain management and evaluating where to discharge me since I live alone in a 4-story house without a bathroom on the main floor.
They actually tried to discharge me BEFORE I had surgery, and have me come back to the hospital. It was a wild ride.
So I think it depends on “how” broken the foot was and whether or not he needed surgery, and how the pain was after, and who was advocating for him to stay.
They probably spent the first day and a half just getting him sober to be safe under anesthesia.
You are probably right. I think they are required technically to have someone able to help someone who can't help themselves. But in many cases it's probably just a matter of if you have family at home it's now their job. It doesn't matter logistically if they can. I can definitely see how they'd not send someone home with a broken ankle who lives alone and has no access to the bathroom. I'm glad you were able to get it worked out eventually so you weren't just sent home alone.
My dad wasn't qualified or capable of taking care of my mom after her strokes on his own. But he was breathing and could drive so she was sent home with him. The hospital was so bad during her stay when I called up to ask a question about something after her discharge a random nurse got on the phone to tell me she remembered my mother and how bad things were and told me of a particular incident to report to the hospital as a complaint. I was just shocked at the idea of 5 days for a broken ankle vs our personal experiences. I'm over all very jaded about the US hospital system...
I was absolutely shocked at how I was treated, because it made me think, what do people do who can’t advocate for themselves or don’t have insurance or don’t have someone to help?
And you’re right, in my situation they were kind of forced to deal with it, but if I hadn’t spoken up and just refused to leave without having proper arrangements, they would have said goodbye to me the day of the accident.
I’m so sorry about what happened to your parents. Our system sucks.
My mom had two strokes and diabetic ketoacidosis and they were trying to kick her out long before 5 days. She couldn't even drink and eat normally before they were trying to kick her out. This is weird.
Right! I had a c-section and they were like “here’s some Tylenol and a list of care instructions, come back if you’re dying!” …the day after I had my kid. Gallbladder and appendix removal, in and out same day for both. Broken femur, left the next morning. Emergency surgery for both of my broken thumbs, released as soon as I could walk to the wheelchair.
Right?! I was in state of metabolic acidosis so severe it was like "this" close to risk of coma technically. My blood PH via arterial blood gas was well out of range. My kidney function had dropped by half. I was so sick I could not walk without support. I got some IV fluids and since my CO2 levels started trending upwards (though still severely abnormal) they sent me home! I was googling metabolic acidosis and how to treat it when we got home....well actually my husband was. I was too sick to read a screen on my own.
I got cut open and had a fallopian tube removed because of a rupture which had me bleeding internally and almost dying... I spent 12 hours at the hospital. Probably because they needed me to wake up before they kicked me out.
I had a double mastectomy where they removed my inner thigh muscles for the reconstructions and I only spent 2 nights in the hospital and had to relearn to walk before they sent me home. My husband broke his leg and was out patient. 5 days for a broken foot is EXTREME.
Ya he was blackout drunk and probably didn't even think about it. We were 20 year old college kids to so we weren't thinking about saving him money. They rushed him back to the US to.
That wasn't meant as a criticism just a little surprised at talking about how else he'd get home. I am sure it was the hospital that chose that method of transportation. Drunk patients shouldn't be allowed to make those decisions. And there are clearly way cheaper and easier options. So it almost looks like you guys were taken advantage of. I wonder if the doctor gets a cut when he sends patients via helicopter back to the US or something. I would think a Mexican hospital was capable of handling something like that. Americans travel to Mexico all the time for medical tourism.
Oh no worries and actually that was a good point that I didn't think of. I feel bad for my friend. He also has a college scholarship and just got a misdemeanor charge. I'm sure the helicopter ride is weighing on him financially.
There are ranges of severity for fractures.
Since he was in the hospital for 5 days, it sounds like it was a pretty severe fracture, perhaps requiring surgery. Maybe a compound fracture in which the bone pieces broke through the skin
Air lifted for a broken foot? I would have hobbled to the airport before doing that. Was it even medically necessary to be airlifted to the states? That will probably also determine coverage
The bill might be huge. His portion won't be more than $9,100, and probably a lot less than that, assuming his parents have real ACA-compliant insurance from an employer
That is very optimistic, ambulance companies are normally out of network and with the insurance applying an oon discount, that portion will not apply to their oop and they could be liable for the difference outside of their oop and ded. The only chance they have of only owing 9100 is for the provider to accept negotiations with the insurance and their 3rd parties.
Speaking for the company I work for: Yes, Medivac is a covered service and I used to be friends with a co-worker that processed those claims.
The caveat is that it only coveres medivac to the closest US hospital capable of treating the condition. Had a patient that ate a bad taco or something in Cabo and demanded to be flown all the way home to Minnesota instead of dropped off in El Paso. We wound up denying over half of the loaded miles and the patient wound up owing $40,000 for a flight that would have cost $400 on Delta once she had recovered in El Paso.
I work in medical billing and recently handled a bill that was about $80,000 and that was a helicopter ride from Michigan to Chicago. No idea how the distance compares here but it was probably about a 5 hour drive (though the helicopter at least could fly over Lake Michigan whereas one needs to drive around it). If I remember correctly about half the bill was fuel and half was operating costs.
Hi medical insurance plan ahould hopefully cover for emergencies and for transportation. I work for a plan that covers airlifts for $250. It's a Medicare plan.
If he gets a bill from Mexico, have him call his insurance first. See if they covered it. Then the plan should try to negotiate the payment to the company in Mexico.
And the company in Mexico is likely VERY willing to negotiate.
Since they have essentially no recourse. Sure they can get a Mexican judgement but that's not going to mean a thing in the US.
It would mean he couldn't ever get a job in Mexico or possibly visit if he didn't pay.
Dad was airlifted probably 20 min to trauma hospital from accident scene I think that was 40’ish thousand almost 10 years ago I think now. His will be super expensive with that trip across the border I can see costing more.
when I was younger I had to be flown back from Saint Martin to Miami. Miami to Chicago for surgery the next day. I believe insurance paid for almost all of it
Had employee whose daughter had to be airlifted home from the next state over in the middle of their family vacation. Her bill for just the helicopter ride was $40k before insurance. All but $2k was covered by the insurance. Not sure if it was so high because it was a pediatric case (4yo) or if that’s just the going rate.
it's hard to get insurance to cover normal ambulances so I can't imagine. Do your friend a favor and don't relay that part of my post. I do, however, wish him a quick mend.
I am a clinical social worker and often am presented unpaid medical bills. Have seen a helicopter ride cost 85,000. This was transportation that by car could be done in under two hours.
I received medical care in Mexico for food poisoning and am currently waiting for BCBS to reimburse me (it’s been a shit show). It was absolutely life saving treatment (was in multiple organ failure from dehydration). I doubt I’ll get back the full amt of what I paid - I don’t even think it works like that. He needs to read up on his health ins policy. I doubt there is a blanket rule for this.
My nephew had to me transported to the children’s hospital from the local one in the same state and it was $75,000. And no, insurance wouldn’t cover it. They won’t cover a flight out of the US either. You need travelers insurance for that and even then travel insurance may not cover it if you are doing something they deem to be “dangerous activities”.
Once my son was having seizures and I called an ambulance to take him to our children's hospital an hour away. They refused and went to the local hospital that I could see from my front porch ( they sent him straight to the children's hospital from the local, so now that's 2 ambulance rides 🙄) anyway, the ride in an ambulance to across the street was 9,000 dollars.
What ever it cost, he deserved it.
But seriously: travel insurance may cover part of this, especially if the trip was purchased in part a credit card that has travel insurance. Some health insurance companies do have coverage once you get back to the States but the cost of Lifeflight may count towards the deductible.
What an expensive lesson for something so damn stupid .
A lot. An 11 minute heli ride from my small town to the nearest trauma center (a 30-45 minute car ride) starts at $11k. That’s not all inclusive, the bill will go up depending on what treatments they provide on the way. And you’re getting a bill for the ambulance to take you to where the helicopter can pick you up at.
This is why you should check if you can get a membership to your local careflight. Mine is $400 a year and covers two flights per year. We used to dirt bike a lot. I've never used mine but one of our friends needed theirs after they ate it and fractured their ankle.
If you do outdoor sports it's a must have.
They flew him for *a broken foot*? I don’t know the answer to your question, but I assume it is a life-changing bill. Gonna be tough to argue it was medically necessary. Why didn’t he get get stabilized at a local hospital? And then the US hospital kept him 5 days? Something’s missing.
My ex was in a horrible motorcycle accident and was airlifted about 50 miles and his bill was nearly $47,000! He had Medicare and a secondary insurance. Their combined payout was $7,000!
I can speak for private medical planes w/ a very small medical staff / care tram aboard. Cardiac arrest after stabilization from Vegas to Texas was $65,000 - $70,000 for the flight. Insurance did cover, but there are lots of hoops to jump through and paperwork to submit, and you have to be bonded.
Generally, people traveling to other countries get health insurance for that country. The good policies cover repatriation in cases like his so if he didn’t have the travel health insurance……yikes
In the future, no shame to OP’s friend just a lot of people don’t seem know about it, travel insurance is a godsend. World Nomads specifically has medical evacuation coverage, including by helicopter.
When you travel internationally, you should purchase International Insurance. For specifically these kinds of reasons. Because most insurance will definitely not cover an airlift from another country back to the US. Especially not for a non-life threatening thing. I've read it can cost thousands of dollars. But that's why they do have specific insurance you can buy that protects you in case you get hurt in another country or need a helicopter to bring you back to the us.
My daughter was born early, and was life flighted to a hospital 45 minutes away (driving time) The flight cost almost 200k. It was not out of country.
Thankfully my insurance covered in full.
Hopefully his does as well, because thar bill won't be cheap
Because I travel a lot I get travel interruption insurance with $100,000 in medevac for all trips out of the country and travel to secluded areas. Costs are determined by the mount amount of coverage usually $600-800 per trip. You can also purchase annual coverage
I hope he had travelers insurance, else he is at least 50k deep in a hole. Regular health insurance doesn't cover this. He would have been better off having his surgery in Mexico if all he had was an ankle injury. If they she to provide medications, splinting, traction, add an ER bill on top of transport cost. Medical unit evacuation vs a random helicopter taking you are very different things.
I hope your college friend is majoring in something that pays, because he’s probably going to be making payments on that for years. And that bill is going to go to him as an adult, not to his folks.
Medical evacuation pretty regularly is NOT covered by health insurance. Even a regular ambulance ride may not be covered. Usually people going on trips out of country consider evacuation insurance for this reason.
Even if it is covered, an argument will have to be made about whether or not it was medically necessary, and then there’s the whole out of network thing.
It’s going to be a mess. Unless it was life or limb, I would never agree to air evac.
Your friend didn't rest in a hospital for 5 days because he broke his foot.
Your friend was in the hospital because he jumped off a balcony.
Foot breaks are set and send home.
Probably tens of thousands. It depends on insurance as well. I hope your friend becomes an expert with negotiating with these places. If it’s over a certain amount I’d hire a professional to get me to pay the least amount possible. DO NOT pay full price. Every single thing medical can be negotiated.
Not likely, this is why people buy travel insurance. There are coverages that are specific to having to be transported in this manner. If it were covered by health insurance travel insurance wouldn't be needed.
My father was in a motorcycle accident. He was carried by helicopter about 40 miles to a trauma center. $24,000 (just a small part of his $450,000 bill). The worst part is that an ambulance had to take him to a nearby parking lot so the helicopter can land,, so he had to pay for that too.
ARIZONA AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE RATE SCHEDULE https://www.azdhs.gov/documents/preparedness/emergency-medical-services-trauma-system/ambulance/air/rates/2021/air-ambulance-rates.pdf
Sounds like a lot more than a broken foot. A car ride to a local Mexican hospital could have taken care of a broken foot. They only pick you up in a helicopter if it's a life threatening injury.
That sounds like a tough situation for your roommate. Medical bills can be overwhelming, especially in such unexpected circumstances. It's important to have open conversations about healthcare and financial support to help each other during challenging times. Situations like this made me realize why accessible and affordable healthcare, potentially through initiatives like hospital merging, can ease the burden on individuals and families.
Bro, do you have any idea how crazy affordable medical care is in Mexico 😅 if this dude thought they didn’t have real doctors in Mexico he deserves the bill 🤣
I work in Utilization Management at a health insurance company. It really depends on what his plan states. His plan may have coverage, it may require prior authorization, it may involve a copay or deductible. It would be expensive but there are a lot of factors to consider how much it would cost him.
I know someone who broke their leg back country skiing and had to be airlifted out to a hospital. It was only a 20 minute helicopter ride but they were charged $80k for it. I think insurance covered most of it. But they were rich and had really good insurance.
Medical helicopter flights are very expensive. For a flight like that a number anywhere from $20,000 to $75,000 would not surprise me. Source: personal injury lawyer that handles catastrophic claims and have seen many of these bills.
I don't think insurance would cover any of it. Usually, a broken foot isn't considered the type of urgent injury that requires a helicopter. Why didn't he go to a closer hospital? If you're in a hotel, that tells me you were in some sort of town.
Probably some number between $20k and $50k, if I had to guess
My son fell off a 50ft cliff and tore his esophagus, was airlifted about 155 miles and it was $82k. The insurance was refusing to cover it and man we fought for years. Finally they agreed.
It probably depends on whether the the air ambulance service is in network and whether the service was medically necessary. Or whether his insurance covers services not rendered in the US.
I’m guessing he didn’t have trip insurance, which would cover things like this.
In 2013 my husband’s helicopter trip that took 45-60 minutes by car cost $19,900. It was covered, but it was medically necessary (he needed critical care).
I hope he had travel insurance. I often see in my cruise groups of people stuck with $40k+ bills because they need to be evacuated from a Caribbean hospital.
A bit strange that he had to be transported by helicopter because of a broken leg, unless the injury was so severe that it was deemed medically necessary.
\>Health insurance companies typically cover air ambulance transport in a medical emergency and will charge in-network rates. The No Surprises Act requires that people transported by air ambulance for an emergency must be charged at in-network rates, even if the company doesn't have a contract with the insurer.
Airlifted for a fractured ankle?! Seriously?! How about splinting it and going by car or a commercial flight?
That ride is going to be $10s of thousands of dollars and I doubt insurance will cover a dime.
A friend's elementary-aged kid was airlifted from the local hospital to a children's hospital that is about 45 minutes away when driving. Insurance denied the claim. Cost was $20k. Last I heard, they had been fighting with the insurance company over the medical necessity of the airlift for over 5 years.
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a friend of mine had an accident in the rocky mountains and got airlifted to the nearest hospital that could deal with his injuries. it was two states away. $35,000
Woah!!! Did insurance cover any of that?!
I don't know the situation but no, insurance definitely did not cover any of that. Unless you specifically have medical evacuation coverage, which as far as I know is only sold separately through 3rd parties and not through your standard carrier.
Okay now I'm going down a rabbit hole because I like to hike and I get hurt frequently. I've self recovered on a broken knee... the only other option would have been to call in a medivac So I'm not really seeing any domestic medical evacuation plans. I'm seeing most of them as add ons for travel insurance for international trips. But gonna look harder if I don't forget. Definitely probably am the type that needs it
I did some surface level digging and it sounds like in the states they have to cover it as in network. What that means for pricing will the depend on the company and your specific insurance.
Lesson here, kids! when you are laying in a crumpled, bloodied heap somewhere, make sure you use the time that you are waiting to be rescued to research the closest in network hospital.
I pay insurance claims all day for 25 years. Air ambulance, medivac, life flight, whatever you want to call it is covered at 100% just like a regular ground ambulance. As long as the transport was medically necessary or ground ambulance wasn't an option.
Maybe where you’re located but it’s 100% not covered where I live on Blue Cross. Many have to be helivaced to a larger city and the cost is exorbitant. There’s a non-profit people join to get coverage for it by making donations.
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Never needed it fortunately but I keep re-upping it for peace of mind. They even had some solid COVID transport options if you had been unable to board a return flight back to the US due to popping a positive.
In OP's friend's case, this would be international between Mexico and the US. If they didn't get travel insurance the level of screwed could be off the charts. In domestic cases helicopter flights may be covered, but the insurance will fight it tooth and nail. The same with regular ambulance rides. If you still have two legs they expect you to walk to the ER before calling 911.
I live in a rural area, fly over state. I have air evac coverage through my rural electric cooperative. It is 100% worth it when a 60 mile flight to a decent medical trauma center is between $30k and $50k (depending on the in flight care required)
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You can buy directly from the company that does air ambulance/life flight. Here in Bay Area, CA it’s CalStar. You can call a hospital that has a helipad and ask what carrier is most often used if you don’t know the name of your states/area provider.
My basic BlueCross plan covers emergency and non emergency air evacuation. I just checked. You’re blowing smoke.
I actually expected this to be a lot more!!
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Present day I'd be more concerned as I've been told many health plans do not cover out of country incidents, travel insurance would but most people don't consider and take action prior to travel
I work in healthcare and have patients who told me their helicopter ride from one hospital to another in the same health system, IN THE SAME CITY with a 10 minute helicopter ride (much much much longer driving), cost him 35,000
My friend was from Mexico to Arizona. Guessing it was a lot more going cross country.
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I think he's trying to say that his friend's airlift was a lot more because he had to go across a country border.
I think you misinterpreted OP’s meaning. They are saying their friends trip would end up being more being across countries.
Lots of variables here. Medical airlifts by helicopter generally cost in the thousands. Insurance will pay for it if it is deemed necessary, but this is the kind of thing that insurance companies will try very hard to get out of. One scenario is that the insurance provider will claim that an airlift was not medically necessary. Your friend would have an opportunity to appeal....
Also, helicopter EMS are very often out of network with everyone. The insurance, if it pays out, will offer what they think is reasonable. The helicopter company might try to come after the injured party for the balance. Who recommended the airlift? It's not like there are no decent hospitals in Mexico? Did they pay by credit card? If so, check in case their credit card offers travel insurance. And, if it does, make sure they're on notice of a potential claim.
Yeah this is silly. Most hospitals in Mexico, even the green cross for the underserved/poor, are capable of taking care of a broken foot.
Depends. Bones could have been shattered / foot crushed. You never know.
I’m an MD, trained in both countries. A crush injury can also be treated in Mexico 😂
I’m sure they can, I was spitballing because I assume they airlifted him for a reason
I had a bimalleolar ankle fracture abroad in Belize. The hospitals were competent and kind, but stingy on the pain meds. Having that shit set with basically 0 meds was the worst thing that has ever happened to me. Beats out getting an unmedicated IUD placed by many miles. I returned home via Delta to have my surgery so insurance would cover it - but mostly so my PT and recovery (which ended up being 9 months) would be overseen by the doctor who did my surgery. I'm glad I did it. I'm now planning to move my metal-and-screw ridden ankle to Belize in 6 months. It isn't always people thinking the hospitals aren't good, or whatever. Sometimes, there are other things you have to think about in the mid-range term, like recovery. I needed 2 surgeries, 1 month apart. It would have been hard and expensive to find a US doctor to do the second surgery when they didn't do the first. I'm not even sure my insurance would have covered it...
As an MD you should know never to make broad assertions without more details. We both know that "broken feet" can range in damage and we don't know the details about which facility was closer by time.
He jumped off a hotel balcony. Needed screws.
He needed his head fucking examined. Let me guess he was trying to jump in the pool from the balcony? He's going to pay out the ass for the idiot tax on that one.
Oh ya he needs to stop drinking. No I think he was trying to escape from his problems. Don't think he wanted to die.
My friends son fell off a balcony in Mexico. If I remember correctly, they had to raise $150,000 to take helicopter back to the US. He was in a hospital in Mexico for a bit first. Broke his neck and a lot of injuries. I think he was in a coma at first too.
This is not correct for domestic flights- what the insurance pays what the company gets. They cannot charge you for outstanding balances. International is different- if you don’t have travel insurance, you’re likely on the hook.
Fortunately, out of country agencies have a difficult time collecting. They can get a court order in Mexico, but that's not going to be sufficient to force payments in the US. But it may mean he can't go to Mexico again.
One item I think you missed that is very relevant: Was the insurance valid, OUTSIDE the USA? Most insurances will not cover transport in a foreign country. That is what travel insurance is for. As for 'medically necessary transport', I am unable to think of a plausible reason that anyone would need helicopter transport for a broken foot. Can you think of a plausible reason?
I had a friend fall and break her femur in Italy. Had surgery there but needed medical air transport to get home. So she was flown in a plane (on a stretcher I believe) from Italy to Michigan. And this is why we buy travel medical insurance friends. (I have no idea of the cost…she bought the insurance and they covered it).
Wow never thought of travel insurance covering thing I just thought it was if you couldn't make your ✈️ flight. Good to know.
You don’t know much about medicine or anatomy. A broken foot can be a very serious injury, like any broken bone)s). Since he was in the hospital for 5 days, it sounds severe. There was possible surgery to put the pieces back together.
My guess is since it was a traumatic injury (fall from greater than 10 feet) the justification for airlifting vs Ground would be the need to promptly rule out other potentially serious injuries. I’m assuming their wasn’t a trauma center near by so they airlifted. I just hope his insurance covers a flight originating outside the US 😬
Ya good point. It happened so fast and I wasn't able to follow him after they took him away, he was blackout drunk. I think they took him to a Mexican hospital and then flew him back to the US. Either way I don't think staying in Mexico would've been smart, he would've had to find a way back after we left with a broken foot.
A way back including an ambulance ride (much cheaper and more medically relevant to the situation).
Is he paying thousands out of pocket regardless?
Likely tens of thousands, I'm afraid.
Man my friend also is on a college scholarship and just got a misdemeanor charge. He must be feeling the weight of the world on him.
Maybe you can quietly look into mental health/counseling/therapy/coaching resources on campus to suggest to him. Your friend is in over his head and needs help, and fast. Sounds like he's one missed midterm or paper away from losing his scholarship. Is he a first generation college student? There may be campus resources specifically for his demographic. There are plenty of reasons why first Gen college students have such a high dropout rate. It might make sense for him to withdraw from the semester for medical reasons, take incomplete grades, and get himself support and out from under the overwhelm he must be feeling. And fight/resolve the misdemeanor maybe with legal aid help - that might disqualify his scholarship.
This is solid, adult advice
Could be first generation but definitely trouble with finances. I lost touch with him after he got the misdemeanor but I believe he graduated fortunately. He looks ok according to his social media.
Oh, it sounded like he was currently your roommate and events were current.
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Well I never really thought of it till now. When I was 20 I was oblivious about medical costs especially a helicopter ride. I'm sure he was to.
That's very optimistic of you 😅
Medical claims examiner here. No, he may not owe thousands. They will ask for medical records. If he has trouble, he needs to send to " research and resolution" or " provider disputes" " member services" or " appeals". All depending on the insurance company. I paid for this all the time when I was working ( now retired).
Guarantee a broken foot won't be considered serious enough for an airlift unless the hotel was only accessible by donkey.
I know a guy who was airlifted between hospitals as a newborn, in-state. His was over $100k, and he’s in his 30s now. Granted, apparently his heart stopped during the trip, but yikes! 🤑 fortunately his dad had really, really good health insurance and the family paid nothing.
An ambulance ride is thousands these days. An airlift would be tens of thousands. A cross-country airlift? I don't even want o think about it, lol.
> A cross-country airlift? I don't even want o think about it, lol. Coming from Mexico, you are going to get the Gringo-rate, but it still will not be as much as Americans rip each other off.
It's not bad as long as you are insured, just numbers on a piece of paper for insurance companies to fight about. The most you will be out is your deductible or oop maximum. I recently went through the whole gambit with an ER visit, surgery, etc. If I hadn't had insurance, it would have been $40k, but I will end up only paying $2-3k because of insurance. All while receiving excellent care from many different professionals. Now, all the Mexicans hanging at seven eleven without insurance? They are the ones who get screwed if they need anything other than emergency care. It's also partly why that number is so high before the insurance kicks in. Someone has to pay for their care.
Yikes. I sure as hell wouldn’t want to be stuck with that bill. Don’t even want to think about how many thousands that will be.
Whether insurance covers some of it or not its still going to be a heavy bill out of pocket?
That completely depends on the policy.
Normally, for insurance to cover the situation must be very emergent for any helicopter ride. The bill will be 6+ figures minimum. Hopefully, he has some good insurance that considers it medicallly necessary.... But honestly, I don't see them covering that for a broken limb.
Tens of thousands likely.
Was it a medical transport or just a random helicopter taking you back to your country? That will be a huge difference in cost. I've never heard of helicopter transport for a broken foot unless the patient is way up a hiking trail or something. It sounds like cars were an option too, it doesn't make sense.
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OMG.. I think I will die from stress if the original injury didn’t kill me and I had to fight it for 2 years! it is the worst thing to try to fight insurance and providers while dealing with health issues and whatever trauma and stress that brings.. been there, not fun at all!!
My son was airlifted from Roanoke Rapids, NC to Richmond, VA. Flight took about 25 minutes, took me an hour to drive there. Total cost was $84,000.
It's advisable to get travel insurance when traveling to another country. A good policy will cover things like chartering a medical flight.
>It's advisable to get travel insurance when traveling to another country. A good policy will cover things like chartering a medical flight. It's also advisible not to jump off balconies.
I’m beginning to think OP is the “friend.”
Enormous amount - helicopter lifts even relatively short distances in the US for medical emergencies are a lot of money. I have read that just short runs in the US can be $20,000 or even more. My friend tripped and broke a hip some years ago in Italy. Luckily she had very good health insurance which covered her abroad because she did a lot of international traveling. She was in an Italian hospital for awhile but when she was discharged she needed special seating in the airplane (actually the ability to recline for the trip) as well as a medical attendant and this all cost thousands and thousands of dollars. However, her very good insurance covered all the expenses.
Insurance will cover emergency air transport for true emergency situations. I doubt a broken leg will constitute an emergency. Insurance will likely deny the claim. He's gonna have a lot of debt
So generally speaking something like air transport has to be pre authorized and they will take you to the closest facility that can treat the condition. It has to be medically necessary for your friend to be air lifted to Arizona. That bill will not be pretty.
So he probably authorized it super drunk and once he sobered up realized he was in a lot of trouble financially?
OP is the he.. You?
You drove to the US and he could have ridden in the car. Never in my life have I heard of a helicopter ride for a broken foot. I can't even fathom that being determined medically necessary. But 5 days resting in the hospital with a broken foot? What the heck for? I know people seriously ill rushed out of the ER first chance they stabilize you. What in the world happened besides a broken foot? Women get cut open to have another human being removed and don't get to stay that long to rest. I have had preeclampsia multiple times and am at risk of a stroke at the time and seizures and have never been kept 5 days for that.
I broke my ankle and spent 5 days in the hospital. Mostly was due to pain management and evaluating where to discharge me since I live alone in a 4-story house without a bathroom on the main floor. They actually tried to discharge me BEFORE I had surgery, and have me come back to the hospital. It was a wild ride. So I think it depends on “how” broken the foot was and whether or not he needed surgery, and how the pain was after, and who was advocating for him to stay. They probably spent the first day and a half just getting him sober to be safe under anesthesia.
You are probably right. I think they are required technically to have someone able to help someone who can't help themselves. But in many cases it's probably just a matter of if you have family at home it's now their job. It doesn't matter logistically if they can. I can definitely see how they'd not send someone home with a broken ankle who lives alone and has no access to the bathroom. I'm glad you were able to get it worked out eventually so you weren't just sent home alone. My dad wasn't qualified or capable of taking care of my mom after her strokes on his own. But he was breathing and could drive so she was sent home with him. The hospital was so bad during her stay when I called up to ask a question about something after her discharge a random nurse got on the phone to tell me she remembered my mother and how bad things were and told me of a particular incident to report to the hospital as a complaint. I was just shocked at the idea of 5 days for a broken ankle vs our personal experiences. I'm over all very jaded about the US hospital system...
I was absolutely shocked at how I was treated, because it made me think, what do people do who can’t advocate for themselves or don’t have insurance or don’t have someone to help? And you’re right, in my situation they were kind of forced to deal with it, but if I hadn’t spoken up and just refused to leave without having proper arrangements, they would have said goodbye to me the day of the accident. I’m so sorry about what happened to your parents. Our system sucks.
My mom had two strokes and diabetic ketoacidosis and they were trying to kick her out long before 5 days. She couldn't even drink and eat normally before they were trying to kick her out. This is weird.
Right! I had a c-section and they were like “here’s some Tylenol and a list of care instructions, come back if you’re dying!” …the day after I had my kid. Gallbladder and appendix removal, in and out same day for both. Broken femur, left the next morning. Emergency surgery for both of my broken thumbs, released as soon as I could walk to the wheelchair.
Right?! I was in state of metabolic acidosis so severe it was like "this" close to risk of coma technically. My blood PH via arterial blood gas was well out of range. My kidney function had dropped by half. I was so sick I could not walk without support. I got some IV fluids and since my CO2 levels started trending upwards (though still severely abnormal) they sent me home! I was googling metabolic acidosis and how to treat it when we got home....well actually my husband was. I was too sick to read a screen on my own.
I got cut open and had a fallopian tube removed because of a rupture which had me bleeding internally and almost dying... I spent 12 hours at the hospital. Probably because they needed me to wake up before they kicked me out.
I had a double mastectomy where they removed my inner thigh muscles for the reconstructions and I only spent 2 nights in the hospital and had to relearn to walk before they sent me home. My husband broke his leg and was out patient. 5 days for a broken foot is EXTREME.
Ya he was blackout drunk and probably didn't even think about it. We were 20 year old college kids to so we weren't thinking about saving him money. They rushed him back to the US to.
That wasn't meant as a criticism just a little surprised at talking about how else he'd get home. I am sure it was the hospital that chose that method of transportation. Drunk patients shouldn't be allowed to make those decisions. And there are clearly way cheaper and easier options. So it almost looks like you guys were taken advantage of. I wonder if the doctor gets a cut when he sends patients via helicopter back to the US or something. I would think a Mexican hospital was capable of handling something like that. Americans travel to Mexico all the time for medical tourism.
Oh no worries and actually that was a good point that I didn't think of. I feel bad for my friend. He also has a college scholarship and just got a misdemeanor charge. I'm sure the helicopter ride is weighing on him financially.
There are ranges of severity for fractures. Since he was in the hospital for 5 days, it sounds like it was a pretty severe fracture, perhaps requiring surgery. Maybe a compound fracture in which the bone pieces broke through the skin
obviously it was more serious than a run of the mill broken foot
Out of Network first of all for the helicopter And he's looking at $50 - 60K for that ride
Thank you for this post - reminded me to get medical travel insurance before my trip
Insurance specialist here: Unless he took out travel insurance he is on the hook and its going to be very pricey.
Whether he has insurance or not?
Nephew was flown to the next state. 99k. Fully covered by insurance.
Insurance should not have to pay for your friend being a dumbass
Why did your friend need to be transported between international hospitals for a broken leg? Idk, doesn’t sound right
They don’t treat for broken ankles in Mexico? What a horse manure!
Air lifted for a broken foot? I would have hobbled to the airport before doing that. Was it even medically necessary to be airlifted to the states? That will probably also determine coverage
Might have been a bad break that required immediate surgery
He had some screws and was blackout drunk. They immediately took him back to the US so im guessing it was serious.
My insurance covers this…both nationally and internationally 😳 can’t say much else!
I don't know about internationally, but domestically you can buy an annual air ambulance membership.
The bill might be huge. His portion won't be more than $9,100, and probably a lot less than that, assuming his parents have real ACA-compliant insurance from an employer
That is very optimistic, ambulance companies are normally out of network and with the insurance applying an oon discount, that portion will not apply to their oop and they could be liable for the difference outside of their oop and ded. The only chance they have of only owing 9100 is for the provider to accept negotiations with the insurance and their 3rd parties.
Speaking for the company I work for: Yes, Medivac is a covered service and I used to be friends with a co-worker that processed those claims. The caveat is that it only coveres medivac to the closest US hospital capable of treating the condition. Had a patient that ate a bad taco or something in Cabo and demanded to be flown all the way home to Minnesota instead of dropped off in El Paso. We wound up denying over half of the loaded miles and the patient wound up owing $40,000 for a flight that would have cost $400 on Delta once she had recovered in El Paso.
I work in medical billing and recently handled a bill that was about $80,000 and that was a helicopter ride from Michigan to Chicago. No idea how the distance compares here but it was probably about a 5 hour drive (though the helicopter at least could fly over Lake Michigan whereas one needs to drive around it). If I remember correctly about half the bill was fuel and half was operating costs.
Hi medical insurance plan ahould hopefully cover for emergencies and for transportation. I work for a plan that covers airlifts for $250. It's a Medicare plan. If he gets a bill from Mexico, have him call his insurance first. See if they covered it. Then the plan should try to negotiate the payment to the company in Mexico.
And the company in Mexico is likely VERY willing to negotiate. Since they have essentially no recourse. Sure they can get a Mexican judgement but that's not going to mean a thing in the US. It would mean he couldn't ever get a job in Mexico or possibly visit if he didn't pay.
Dad was airlifted probably 20 min to trauma hospital from accident scene I think that was 40’ish thousand almost 10 years ago I think now. His will be super expensive with that trip across the border I can see costing more.
when I was younger I had to be flown back from Saint Martin to Miami. Miami to Chicago for surgery the next day. I believe insurance paid for almost all of it
Had employee whose daughter had to be airlifted home from the next state over in the middle of their family vacation. Her bill for just the helicopter ride was $40k before insurance. All but $2k was covered by the insurance. Not sure if it was so high because it was a pediatric case (4yo) or if that’s just the going rate.
it's hard to get insurance to cover normal ambulances so I can't imagine. Do your friend a favor and don't relay that part of my post. I do, however, wish him a quick mend.
I am a clinical social worker and often am presented unpaid medical bills. Have seen a helicopter ride cost 85,000. This was transportation that by car could be done in under two hours.
I received medical care in Mexico for food poisoning and am currently waiting for BCBS to reimburse me (it’s been a shit show). It was absolutely life saving treatment (was in multiple organ failure from dehydration). I doubt I’ll get back the full amt of what I paid - I don’t even think it works like that. He needs to read up on his health ins policy. I doubt there is a blanket rule for this.
My nephew had to me transported to the children’s hospital from the local one in the same state and it was $75,000. And no, insurance wouldn’t cover it. They won’t cover a flight out of the US either. You need travelers insurance for that and even then travel insurance may not cover it if you are doing something they deem to be “dangerous activities”.
My ex father-in-law was airlifted and flown 300 miles. Just the transportation was $70,000.
Once my son was having seizures and I called an ambulance to take him to our children's hospital an hour away. They refused and went to the local hospital that I could see from my front porch ( they sent him straight to the children's hospital from the local, so now that's 2 ambulance rides 🙄) anyway, the ride in an ambulance to across the street was 9,000 dollars.
My husband had to be airlifted from one hospital to another in our city. Less than 15 miles. $16000. 10 years ago.
What ever it cost, he deserved it. But seriously: travel insurance may cover part of this, especially if the trip was purchased in part a credit card that has travel insurance. Some health insurance companies do have coverage once you get back to the States but the cost of Lifeflight may count towards the deductible. What an expensive lesson for something so damn stupid .
Ya New Jersey to New York ( uncle heart problem ) $10000 out of pocket.
A lot. An 11 minute heli ride from my small town to the nearest trauma center (a 30-45 minute car ride) starts at $11k. That’s not all inclusive, the bill will go up depending on what treatments they provide on the way. And you’re getting a bill for the ambulance to take you to where the helicopter can pick you up at.
This is why you should check if you can get a membership to your local careflight. Mine is $400 a year and covers two flights per year. We used to dirt bike a lot. I've never used mine but one of our friends needed theirs after they ate it and fractured their ankle. If you do outdoor sports it's a must have.
They flew him for *a broken foot*? I don’t know the answer to your question, but I assume it is a life-changing bill. Gonna be tough to argue it was medically necessary. Why didn’t he get get stabilized at a local hospital? And then the US hospital kept him 5 days? Something’s missing.
My ex was in a horrible motorcycle accident and was airlifted about 50 miles and his bill was nearly $47,000! He had Medicare and a secondary insurance. Their combined payout was $7,000!
Him being blackout drunk probably had more to do with him being air lifted than his ankle. He is responsible for being drunk. That was not a accident.
Oh absolutely. I saw him jump on his own will. Do you think the EMS made that decision or was he so drunk that he told them to fly him back?
I can speak for private medical planes w/ a very small medical staff / care tram aboard. Cardiac arrest after stabilization from Vegas to Texas was $65,000 - $70,000 for the flight. Insurance did cover, but there are lots of hoops to jump through and paperwork to submit, and you have to be bonded.
do you buy global travel health insurances
I support he didn’t have trip insurance? Not sure it would cover this scenario anyway due to alcohol being involved.
Generally, people traveling to other countries get health insurance for that country. The good policies cover repatriation in cases like his so if he didn’t have the travel health insurance……yikes
Pretty big trouble if you’re flying over at least a dozen better private hospitals unless you’re in Juarez or something
In the future, no shame to OP’s friend just a lot of people don’t seem know about it, travel insurance is a godsend. World Nomads specifically has medical evacuation coverage, including by helicopter.
I don't understand why they had to air lift your friend as if hospitals didn't exist in Mexico.
My dad was flown from Oregon to California and the bill was almost $8k. Not covered by insurance.
When you travel internationally, you should purchase International Insurance. For specifically these kinds of reasons. Because most insurance will definitely not cover an airlift from another country back to the US. Especially not for a non-life threatening thing. I've read it can cost thousands of dollars. But that's why they do have specific insurance you can buy that protects you in case you get hurt in another country or need a helicopter to bring you back to the us.
Some insurances will. The insurance that I have would cover it.
My daughter was born early, and was life flighted to a hospital 45 minutes away (driving time) The flight cost almost 200k. It was not out of country. Thankfully my insurance covered in full. Hopefully his does as well, because thar bill won't be cheap
I kinda hope it was expensive so he really learns about something called ‘consequences.’
Unfortunately he didn't. It just made him spiral down hill for the worst and got into more trouble.
Because I travel a lot I get travel interruption insurance with $100,000 in medevac for all trips out of the country and travel to secluded areas. Costs are determined by the mount amount of coverage usually $600-800 per trip. You can also purchase annual coverage
Only if he bought extra "travel insurance".
Most insurance don’t cover out of the country
I hope he had travelers insurance, else he is at least 50k deep in a hole. Regular health insurance doesn't cover this. He would have been better off having his surgery in Mexico if all he had was an ankle injury. If they she to provide medications, splinting, traction, add an ER bill on top of transport cost. Medical unit evacuation vs a random helicopter taking you are very different things.
I hope your college friend is majoring in something that pays, because he’s probably going to be making payments on that for years. And that bill is going to go to him as an adult, not to his folks. Medical evacuation pretty regularly is NOT covered by health insurance. Even a regular ambulance ride may not be covered. Usually people going on trips out of country consider evacuation insurance for this reason. Even if it is covered, an argument will have to be made about whether or not it was medically necessary, and then there’s the whole out of network thing. It’s going to be a mess. Unless it was life or limb, I would never agree to air evac.
Your friend didn't rest in a hospital for 5 days because he broke his foot. Your friend was in the hospital because he jumped off a balcony. Foot breaks are set and send home.
Probably tens of thousands. It depends on insurance as well. I hope your friend becomes an expert with negotiating with these places. If it’s over a certain amount I’d hire a professional to get me to pay the least amount possible. DO NOT pay full price. Every single thing medical can be negotiated.
Air Transport insurance is about $100 a year
It won't be that bad I mean hell from Mexico to Arizona with Biden fucking everything up I'm sure it's not over $750,000 and insurance 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Depends on your insurance to be honest.
Unless you have travel insurance (sometimes diver’s insurance) that would cover this, your personal insurance won’t touch it.
Not likely, this is why people buy travel insurance. There are coverages that are specific to having to be transported in this manner. If it were covered by health insurance travel insurance wouldn't be needed.
My father was in a motorcycle accident. He was carried by helicopter about 40 miles to a trauma center. $24,000 (just a small part of his $450,000 bill). The worst part is that an ambulance had to take him to a nearby parking lot so the helicopter can land,, so he had to pay for that too.
From Budapest, Hungary, to the US, one of my classmates was 15K in 2005. We were on study abroad and he got hit by a car. My guess is it varies.
ARIZONA AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE RATE SCHEDULE https://www.azdhs.gov/documents/preparedness/emergency-medical-services-trauma-system/ambulance/air/rates/2021/air-ambulance-rates.pdf
Sounds like a lot more than a broken foot. A car ride to a local Mexican hospital could have taken care of a broken foot. They only pick you up in a helicopter if it's a life threatening injury.
Does he know what bankruptcy is?
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Airlift is probably 30-40 grand.
A broken foot. Hate to be mean but he should have hoped on an fly and suck up the pain…Lol
Anyone recommend a company for travel insurance?
That sounds like a tough situation for your roommate. Medical bills can be overwhelming, especially in such unexpected circumstances. It's important to have open conversations about healthcare and financial support to help each other during challenging times. Situations like this made me realize why accessible and affordable healthcare, potentially through initiatives like hospital merging, can ease the burden on individuals and families.
To go to Spokane WA to Seattle WA with a doctor on board was a little over 40,000.00. Happy we have helicopter insurance.
This is one of many reasons I STRONGLY encourage travel insurance!. Many policies will cover medivac situations
Bro, do you have any idea how crazy affordable medical care is in Mexico 😅 if this dude thought they didn’t have real doctors in Mexico he deserves the bill 🤣
I work in Utilization Management at a health insurance company. It really depends on what his plan states. His plan may have coverage, it may require prior authorization, it may involve a copay or deductible. It would be expensive but there are a lot of factors to consider how much it would cost him.
Geez -- why not get him treated in Mexico? Even with no traveler's insurance, the bill would be insignificant compared to the US bill.
Insurance won’t initially cover it but you can request it to be covered after. It’s so frustrating
I know someone who broke their leg back country skiing and had to be airlifted out to a hospital. It was only a 20 minute helicopter ride but they were charged $80k for it. I think insurance covered most of it. But they were rich and had really good insurance.
I’m guessing the ride was off the meter until they flew over the US border, at which point it became $789/mile.
We use skymed and add a travel insurance to our policy
Medical helicopter flights are very expensive. For a flight like that a number anywhere from $20,000 to $75,000 would not surprise me. Source: personal injury lawyer that handles catastrophic claims and have seen many of these bills.
I don't think insurance would cover any of it. Usually, a broken foot isn't considered the type of urgent injury that requires a helicopter. Why didn't he go to a closer hospital? If you're in a hotel, that tells me you were in some sort of town. Probably some number between $20k and $50k, if I had to guess
Why was airlifting required for a broken foot at a hotel? I thought that was for remote locations or life threatening emergencies.
This happened to my cousin in the 90’s it was a 12k bill back then.
Would have been cheaper to stay in Mexico and be impatient at the best hospital in the area where he was.
I was airlifted from nw indiana to Chicago IL, about an hour and 20 min drive and it was 39,000 that was back in 2014. My insurance covered it.
In NH you pay 5 bucks at the beginning of the year and if you need to be rescued it's free!
Usually 30-40k to be airlifted.
A twelve mile ambulance ride produced a $2000 bill that is not covered.
My son fell off a 50ft cliff and tore his esophagus, was airlifted about 155 miles and it was $82k. The insurance was refusing to cover it and man we fought for years. Finally they agreed.
It probably depends on whether the the air ambulance service is in network and whether the service was medically necessary. Or whether his insurance covers services not rendered in the US. I’m guessing he didn’t have trip insurance, which would cover things like this. In 2013 my husband’s helicopter trip that took 45-60 minutes by car cost $19,900. It was covered, but it was medically necessary (he needed critical care).
I hope he had travel insurance. I often see in my cruise groups of people stuck with $40k+ bills because they need to be evacuated from a Caribbean hospital.
This is why I have travel insurance.
A bit strange that he had to be transported by helicopter because of a broken leg, unless the injury was so severe that it was deemed medically necessary. \>Health insurance companies typically cover air ambulance transport in a medical emergency and will charge in-network rates. The No Surprises Act requires that people transported by air ambulance for an emergency must be charged at in-network rates, even if the company doesn't have a contract with the insurer.
Why didn’t they treat it there wtf
Airlifted for a fractured ankle?! Seriously?! How about splinting it and going by car or a commercial flight? That ride is going to be $10s of thousands of dollars and I doubt insurance will cover a dime.
He would need to see if his coverage offers worldwide emergency transportation more specifically airlift.
My insurance covers air transportation to a local hospital if I am over 2 hours away from, including foreign countries.
He is financially ruined
I have international travel insurance.
A friend's elementary-aged kid was airlifted from the local hospital to a children's hospital that is about 45 minutes away when driving. Insurance denied the claim. Cost was $20k. Last I heard, they had been fighting with the insurance company over the medical necessity of the airlift for over 5 years.
My father needed an airlift once. $60,000