According to a recent study conducted by the Center for Disease Control, approximately 29 million Americans are still uninsured, despite efforts to make insurance more accessible through the Affordable Care Act.[1] For many people who are insured, their coverage does not include expenses related to commercial air medical transports. The situation is much the same for individuals visiting the United States from other countries. They may have insurance, but often it does not extend to medical expenses incurred overseas.
When a medical emergency strikes while a person is traveling, the patient and the patient’s family can be left feeling helpless and anxious over looming expenses necessary to get him or her home. This is when SentinelMED can help.
Affordable Commercial Air Medical Transports
SentinelMED specializes in commercial air medical transports, a cost-effective alternative to private air ambulance services. SentienlMED is able to arrange commercial air medical transports for a wide range of medical conditions. In fact, patients fully intubated have been able to qualify for commercial air medical transports.
Footing the Bill
Frequently SentienlMED is able to work with hospital case managers and hospital administrators to find a payer to cover the cost of a commercial air medical transport. In the United States, the health care system is a for-profit industry. Hospitals have an obligation to help those who need medical care. But when a patient is able to be discharged or transferred to a facility closer to home, it is often in the best interest of the hospital to make that bed available to a patient who has a greater need.
How to Arrange Commercial Air Medical Transports
If an individual does have health insurance, it is best to contact the insurance provider. The insurance provider will be able to supply accurate information on exact coverage and in-network providers for a commercial air medical transport. For those individuals who are uninsured or underinsured, SentinelMED specializes in door-to-door commercial air medical transports. SentinelMED’s team of qualified logistics and medical professionals are able to determine the appropriate form of affordable medical transportation services and can help manage the process from end-to-end. We understand the complexity of delivering exceptional care to the sick, elderly or injured patient who is away from home and in an unfamiliar environment. Please contact us if you’d like to learn more about our services and staff.
[1] Cohen, R.A. Martinez, M.E. 2015. National Health Interview Survey. Accessed from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/earlyrelease/insur201508.pdf on November 25, 2015.
