The people of Wyoming were so far deprived of the convenience that air ambulance memberships provide. One legislation from 2019 had made it mandatory for air ambulance membership providers to register with the state’s Department of Insurance. This was because the legislation had connected the medical flight memberships to disability insurance. However, Governor Mark Gordon recently signed a bill that will allow air ambulance memberships in the state of Wyoming. The bill is called House Bill 07. However, there are certain preconditions that come along with the passage of the new bill.
Air Ambulance Membership Providers Must Provide Clear Information
There can be no ambiguity while marketing air ambulance membership programs. The providers must make it amply clear that the membership is not an insurance instrument, and people would still need insurance. The membership would be an out-of-pocket option that people can choose. Before the new bill was passed, only one air ambulance membership provider had registered itself as an insurance provider. Prior to the 2019 bill, there were several membership programs, and it was convenient for the people to choose from a wide variety of options. A survey had also found that people were well aware of the difference between membership and insurance.
The Limitations of Air Ambulance Memberships
Although an air ambulance membership can come in handy and contain the out-of-pocket air ambulance charges, it does not provide complete insulation from it. The reason behind this is the fact that each membership covers only one or two air ambulance service providers. In case, the member ends up availing the service of a medical flight company that he or she is not a member of, out-of-pocket expenses may come into the picture. The only way a person can ensure complete insulation from out-of-pocket expenses is by subscribing to multiple memberships, and this can be cost-prohibitive.
