Medical air transportation invariably attracts huge costs and we have seen that in the past. In a new incident that has been brought to light recently, Jodi Lopresto, a mother of two, from Oklahoma City is now facing a bill of $38,000. She was involved in a motor vehicle collision where her car was hit by another vehicle. The vehicle that hit her was being driven by a person who was high on crystal meth. Her injuries were quite severe as she had broken her femurs and knees of both legs and also fractured her right foot. Her condition was so critical that she had to be resuscitated twice even before reaching the hospital via medical air transportation. There was no doubt that the air ambulance had saved her life.
The Medical Air Transportation Bill was a Shocker
Jodi Lopresto was still in the intensive care unit when she got the bill from the air ambulance company Air Methods. Her insurance had paid a very small amount and not covered the air ambulance charges as the medical evacuation service provider was “out of the insurance network.” When the medical flight company could not cover the costs, it approached Jodi directly. Most air ambulance companies invest millions of dollars in the business and it becomes a matter of survival for them to recover the money.
There is Hope for Patients who Receive Huge Air Ambulance Bills
Companies like Air Methods also have a charitable wing which waves off the fees when they are absolutely certain that the patient is incapable of making the huge payments. Often, at least, a part of the amount is waved off. The safest bet, however, is opting for an air ambulance membership. Most companies offer annual memberships for as little as $50 for the entire family. For now, Jodi has refused to make the payments and has become part of a class action suit against Air Methods.
