Air Methods Advantage provides you and your family the security of knowing that if there is a need for a loved one to be transported via air ambulance; Air Methods will accept your health insurance payment as full payment in advance for any medically necessary transport. That could save you thousands of dollars for just a single transport.
Most health insurance carriers will pay for at least a portion of a medically necessary air medical transport, but the individual is still often faced with paying for the remainder, which can amount to thousands of dollars. With Air Methods Advantage, the once-yearly membership payment assures that the individual – and other covered family members – will not have to pay anything over and above the amount paid by their health insurance carrier for a medically necessary transport performed by Air Methods.
Air Methods Advantage members can take advantage of their program membership anywhere that Air Methods or its subsidiaries are licensed to perform medically necessary transports. See coverage map for details.
Air Methods Advantage membership alleviates the high cost associated with air medical transport services required by you or your family members covered on your health insurance plan and enrolled in Air Methods Advantage. As a member, if you or a family member receives a medically necessary inter-facility transport or transport from an emergency scene by Air Methods, Air Methods Advantage guarantees that Air Methods will accept your health insurance payment and any other third-party sources of payment (e.g., automobile liability coverage) as payment in full for the transport. No additional air transport costs will be incurred.
Application processing typically takes three to five business days, and you should receive your “Welcome Packet” in approximately 10 to 14 days after payment is cleared. However, we treat your membership as retroactively effective three days after we receive your application. Some financial institutions take longer to process a payment and this timing can delay processing and shipping. If a membership payment is denied for any reason, the primary member will be contacted to resolve the issue.
Air Methods Advantage membership does not cover services performed by another air or ground medical transport services provider. It only covers medically necessary transports performed by Air Methods. Therefore, if a member is transported by another air or ground ambulance for any reason, membership will not cover any part of the charges for the transport.
Air Methods Advantage membership applies to the locations listed on the coverage map located on the Air Methods Advantage website and where Air Methods is licensed to perform transports. See coverage map for details. If you need air transport in an area where Air Methods does not or cannot operate or is not licensed to perform transports, or if we do not have an aircraft or crew available when you need one (e.g., all of our aircraft are occupied on other transports), another provider may end up transporting you. In that case, Air Methods Advantage does not apply.
Memberships are annual, starting on the third business day following receipt of your application and expiring that same date the following year. Inquire about multi-year deals.
Yes, we do require a current form upon every renewal. You will receive an application form in the mail with your renewal notice or you can renew online.
There is no limit to the number of flights, as long as they are deemed medically necessary by a physician or other licensed personnel and your insurance carrier.
Air Methods Advantage is a good option for anyone who may be ultimately responsible for the high cost of air medical transport services.
The laws in a few states (e.g., New York) do not permit membership programs. To view which states currently offer Air Methods Advantage, please refer to our coverage maps.
Yes, tell your doctor or care provider you are an Air Methods Advantage member and request that they use Air Methods if there is an available aircraft that can safely meet your needs.
If you are transported, contact our billing office at (855) 877-2518 to verify the transport. It is helpful to provide your membership number, date of transport, and pickup location.
Yes. Certain state restrictions prevent offering multi-year memberships, though. Air Methods Advantage offers a 1, 3 and 5 year plan.
Yes, uninsured individuals may purchase a membership. In the event an uninsured member receives a medically necessary air medical transport from Air Methods, the membership fee will be deemed as payment in full for all the transport charges.
Air ambulance coverage varies from insurance company to insurance company, and many carriers will only pay a portion of the provider’s billed charges. The patient or responsible party must pay a copayment and in most cases an additional amount above what the insurance carrier allows. If the billed amount exceeds that the allowed amount, you may be responsible for the balance, which can be thousands of dollars. However, if you are an Air Methods Advantage member, Air Methods will accept whatever your insurance pays for the flight as payment in full, with no additional out-of-pocket costs to you.
It takes approximately 10 - 14 business days if the application is processed on-line; if the application is mailed in, expect a 3 – 5 week processing time. However, the effective day of your membership is retroactive to the third business day after the application is received.
No. However, please be prepared to share all health information with Air Methods if you are flown.
One membership card is provided per family. Contact numbers are located on the back of each card for any billing inquiries. Membership cards are not required for transport. Member eligibility is tracked in the Air Methods Advantage system.
Flight destinations are determined by the medical professional who ordered the transport or exercises medical control over patient and his/her medical treatment.
You have several options:
You have (2) options:
A family membership consists of a spouse, children up to the age of 26, and your dependent children of any age who are incapable of supporting themselves due to a mental or physical disability. All other adults in the household that do not qualify as part of this family unit must have their own membership.
No. Air Methods Advantage membership covers an air medical transport on an Air Methods Community Based Services aircraft as listed on our website, but no ground transport is covered under any circumstances.
Yes, seniors covered by Medicare Part B or Medicare Advantage HMOs qualify for a standard membership. Air Methods Advantage will pay the member's copayment and any deductible or other out-of-pocket expense.
Some seniors also have a Medicare supplement policy that usually covers all of these out-of-pocket expenses. If a senior has a Medicare supplement policy that covers all out-of-pocket expenses, the membership will not provide a benefit. If the supplement policy does not cover all out-of-pocket expenses, the membership may provide a benefit. You will want to review the specifics of your policy to make this determination.
Yes, if a qualified physician or other medical professional orders a medically necessary air transport and you meet our transport criteria. We do not screen our transports in advance to ascertain whether a patient is a member. Our mission is to safely transport patients while providing excellent care, regardless of insurance status.
Air Methods is expertly staffed 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with highly-trained pilots, paramedics and flight nurses. However, there may be situations in which you travel to an area in which Air Methods or the subsidiary does not serve or is not licensed to perform medically necessary transports. Also, there may be occasions when Air Methods is unable to respond to a request for air medical transport due to inclement weather that prohibits flying, or if Air Methods aircraft are occupied with another transport or out of service for required maintenance. In such instances emergency personnel may contact another air ambulance company, which will not honor your Air Methods Advantage membership. In addition, you may require transport from an area which is inaccessible to an aircraft due to inclement weather or hazardous terrain, or Air Methods may be prohibited from serving the area due to exclusive market rights given to another provider. In such cases, ground transportation may be necessary to take you to the Air Methods aircraft or it may be necessary for you to be transported by another air or ground provider. While your transport by Air Methods would be covered as an Air Methods Advantage member, the ground transportation costs or the cost of another provider would not be covered.
No. Air Methods is required by law to accept Medicaid payment as payment in full for air medical transport, membership provides no benefit to Medicaid beneficiaries. Also, some state laws prohibit us from enrolling Medicaid beneficiaries.
Since Air Methods is required by law to accept Tricare, Tricare for Life, CHAMPUS or the VA as payment in full for air medical transport, membership provides no financial benefit to active or retired military personnel.
No, you do not need health insurance to be eligible for Air Methods Advantage.
Air Methods Advantage members and their families are entitled to transport by Air Methods or its wholly-owned subsidiaries, using helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft, from an emergency scene or from one medical facility to another within our service area. The air transport must be considered medically necessary by the attending medical professional and your insurance carrier. With the once yearly payment of $40 for an individual membership, the member can rest assured that they will not be billed anything beyond what their health insurance carrier pays Air Methods for the transport. Household memberships are just $75 a year for the member and his or her family. This can mean savings of thousands of dollar on just one transport. Large groups are encouraged to inquire about group pricing.
Individual memberships start at $40/year, and family memberships (patients with private or governmental insurance coverage) is just $75/year. Large groups have access to larger buying power and may be able to access a lower rate for individuals and families.