Air Ambulance Costs Often Overlooked in Midst of Medical Emergency

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Oct. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Jones family set out for a long-awaited cruise in the Caribbean, excited for adventures in the sun, surf, and sand. What the Joneses were not anticipating was cutting their trip short due to an emergency surgery and medical evacuation back to the U.S. The couple was scared. They didn't know what was wrong or how they were going to get suitable medical attention while being so far from home.

Unfortunately, what the Joneses experienced is not uncommon. According to the Association of Air Medical Services, there are about 550,000 air ambulance transports in the U.S. each year. However, some insurance policies may not cover the entire cost of the transport, leaving most Americans with a bill costing tens of thousands of dollars.

Even if the treating physician orders an air ambulance the transport is not automatically approved by the patient's health insurance and are subject to the definitions of the insurance policy. That's why it's important for people to understand what exactly is covered by their health insurance policy and decide if extra coverage is necessary.

Luckily the Joneses had purchased an Emergency Assistance Plus membership before their trip. This membership provided them with the life-saving transport needed to get Mr. Jones to an appropriate facility to treat his condition.

"We were in a sparsely populated part of Mexico, with no modern hospital available," said Mrs. Jones, "I called EA+ ship-to-shore, and the lovely woman who answered said 'We are on it.' The best words I had heard in several days."

Because there wasn't a local hospital capable of treating Mr. Jones' condition, EA+ arranged for an ambulance to drive the Joneses 1.5 hours to an airport where they boarded an air ambulance to fly them to Fort Lauderdale. The EA+ medical staff helped them get through customs and checked into the hospital.

Once admitted, Mr. Jones had emergency gallbladder surgery and remained in the hospital for five days.

"After his hospital release, EA+ arranged transportation home with a nurse to our home in San Diego," said Mrs. Jones.

With their EA+ membership, the Joneses were not responsible for the cost of the air ambulance and did not receive a "surprise" medical bill after the fact. "If not for EA+," says Mrs. Jones, "this could have been a very different experience."

Worldwide Rescue & Security, Inc., a division of AGIA Affinity Services, is a leading provider of emergency travel protection and rescue and security products. Each year, Worldwide Rescue & Security protects hundreds of thousands of customers in the event of a medical emergency or security situation. For more information, please visit www.emergencyassistanceplus.com.

SOURCE Worldwide Rescue & Security