Air ambulances in the United States are operated by a variety of hospitals, local government agencies, and for-profit companies. Medical evacuations by air are also performed by the
United States Armed Forces (for example in combat areas, training accidents, and
United States Coast Guard rescues) and
United States National Guard (typically while responding to natural disasters).
Cost
In 2002, the federal government increased the reimbursement for medical flights for
Medicare and
Medicaid patients. This caused an increase in the number of for-profit ambulance services, which charge much higher rates than non-profit hospitals and expanded services available to people with private health insurance. With lower reimbursements, hospitals could still operate the service as a
loss leader because severely injured patients would be incurring significant charges for medical treatment. NPR cited one 2008 case where two patients were transported from the same accident scene to the same hospital, where the hospital charged $1,700 and the private service charged $13,000.[1]
AirCare – with
CHI Health Good Samaritan. - The first Nebraska air-medical transport service outside of Omaha, NE. In continuous operation since 1982. Covering all of central Nebraska and north Kansas.
Air Evac Lifeteam – the largest medical transport program under one name, covers Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia. Also operates
Texas LifeStar in
Central Texas.
Boston MedFlight – Headquartered in Bedford, Massachusetts Boston MedFlight transports emergency patients
Calstar (California Shock Trauma Air Rescue) is a nonprofit regional
air ambulance company serving California and northern Nevada.
CareFlite – a 501c not-for-profit that is based in Dallas Texas area and sponsored by Baylor Scott & White Hospitals, Parkland Hospital, THR hospitals, JPS Hospital, and Methodist Hospitals.
Carolina Aire Care - Carolina Air Care is a CAMTS accredited critical care and emergency transportation agency serving North Carolina and surrounding areas. Headquartered in Chapel Hill, NC is a nonprofit regional air ambulance.
Mercy Flights – Medford, Oregon. Was the first successful air ambulance in the country, is non-profit. Serves mainly Southern Oregon and Northern California; 150-mile (240 km) radius for helicopter, and almost anywhere West of the Rocky Mountains for the fixed wing airplane, within 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of Medford.
MyMedFlight - Miami, Florida. Powered by
Aero-plan.com, MyMedFlight gathers air ambulance prices from our
worldwide network of nearly 90 quality vetted air ambulance providers at no charge to the consumer.
Survival Flight –
Ann Arbor,
Michigan – CAMTS certified critical care transport program of Michigan Medicine, provides rapid and safe transport of critically ill and injured patients of any age group.
Air ambulances in the United States are operated by a variety of hospitals, local government agencies, and for-profit companies. Medical evacuations by air are also performed by the
United States Armed Forces (for example in combat areas, training accidents, and
United States Coast Guard rescues) and
United States National Guard (typically while responding to natural disasters).
Cost
In 2002, the federal government increased the reimbursement for medical flights for
Medicare and
Medicaid patients. This caused an increase in the number of for-profit ambulance services, which charge much higher rates than non-profit hospitals and expanded services available to people with private health insurance. With lower reimbursements, hospitals could still operate the service as a
loss leader because severely injured patients would be incurring significant charges for medical treatment. NPR cited one 2008 case where two patients were transported from the same accident scene to the same hospital, where the hospital charged $1,700 and the private service charged $13,000.[1]
AirCare – with
CHI Health Good Samaritan. - The first Nebraska air-medical transport service outside of Omaha, NE. In continuous operation since 1982. Covering all of central Nebraska and north Kansas.
Air Evac Lifeteam – the largest medical transport program under one name, covers Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia. Also operates
Texas LifeStar in
Central Texas.
Boston MedFlight – Headquartered in Bedford, Massachusetts Boston MedFlight transports emergency patients
Calstar (California Shock Trauma Air Rescue) is a nonprofit regional
air ambulance company serving California and northern Nevada.
CareFlite – a 501c not-for-profit that is based in Dallas Texas area and sponsored by Baylor Scott & White Hospitals, Parkland Hospital, THR hospitals, JPS Hospital, and Methodist Hospitals.
Carolina Aire Care - Carolina Air Care is a CAMTS accredited critical care and emergency transportation agency serving North Carolina and surrounding areas. Headquartered in Chapel Hill, NC is a nonprofit regional air ambulance.
Mercy Flights – Medford, Oregon. Was the first successful air ambulance in the country, is non-profit. Serves mainly Southern Oregon and Northern California; 150-mile (240 km) radius for helicopter, and almost anywhere West of the Rocky Mountains for the fixed wing airplane, within 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of Medford.
MyMedFlight - Miami, Florida. Powered by
Aero-plan.com, MyMedFlight gathers air ambulance prices from our
worldwide network of nearly 90 quality vetted air ambulance providers at no charge to the consumer.
Survival Flight –
Ann Arbor,
Michigan – CAMTS certified critical care transport program of Michigan Medicine, provides rapid and safe transport of critically ill and injured patients of any age group.