Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does a heart attack or stroke fit the category of life or limb threatening?
A: If a heart attack or stroke is detected call 911. State that you are an Air Eva member and the ground ambulance dispatched will make the determination on the scene.
Q: Where can I learn more about your services?
A: You may contact a Membership Representative at 1.800.793.0010
Q: Does membership with Air Evac includes transportation from one hospital to another?
A: We do hospital to hospital transfers when the doctor deems the flight medically necessary.
Q: Can our grandchildren be included on our membership if they do not reside in our home?
A: Grandchildren can be covered if their parents do not reside in the coverage area. If the parents do reside in the coverage area it is their responsibility to purchase a membership.
Q: Does a family plan include the whole family if we do not reside in the same household?
A: A family plan only covers members of the household who reside under the same roof.
Q: Does the membership cover us at our home?
A: The membership covers you anywhere in our coverage area.
Q: If we needed Air Evac we have to have a doctor’s approval before being airlifted to the hospital?
A: If an emergency is detected call 911, state that your are an Air Evac member and the ground ambulance that is dispatched will make the determination for flight on the scene.
Q: Do you take patients to the nearest Hospital?
A: We take patients to the closest appropriate hospital.
Q: What are the membership rates?
A: The membership rates for a single members are $50, a couple $55 and a household $60. A membership for 3 year is $135 for a single household, $150 a couple and $165 for a household. A 5 year membership is $225 single, couple $250, and household $275.
Q: What services are members entitled to?
A: By becoming an Air Evac member we reserve the right to bill your insurance provider, and what the provider pays we accept as payment in full. We do hospital to hospital transfers if the doctor deems the flight medically necessary. We also do scene flights for life or limb threatening emergencies. Air Evac Lifeteam is also valid anywhere in our coverage area.
Q: Do you bill our insurance company and accept assignment?
A: We reserve the right to bill your insurance provider, and what the providers pay we accept as payment in full.
Q: If you have a membership with Air Evac and request service does a ground ambulance provide service as well?
A: If you call 911 and request Air Evac Lifeteam the 911 operator will dispatch a ground ambulance to the scene. The ground ambulance will determine whether or not the emergency requires a helicopter. If you call Air Evac Communication Center the AEL communicator will dispatch a ground ambulance who will determine whether or not the emergency requires an AEL helicopter.
Q: Is the ground ambulance or other air ambulance fee included with the AEL membership?
A: The membership fee only covers flights with Air Evac Lifeteam.
Q: How long has Air Evac been in business?
A: Air Evac Lifeteam was founded in 1985. Since that time we have transported over 100,000 people.
Q: I have a child in college will he/she be covered on my AEL Membership?
A: Yes! If you have children in college, your membership is current, and their college is within our coverage area, they will be covered until they graduate or no longer attend college. (IF they have primary residence in your home and your household membership is current).
Q: Will I receive something to carry with me showing that I am a member?
A: When you become a member with Air Evac Lifeteam we mail you a welcome packet which contains car stickers, phone stickers, wallet cards, plastic bag and medical forms.
Q: Is the annual membership from the date of payment or is it renewable once a year on a particular date?
A: The annual membership is due on the date of which we input in our system. If your membership is input on 01-01-07, it will not be due again until 01-01-08.
Q: How will the hospital or emergency personnel know they should contact Air Evac if I have a life or lime threatening emergency?
A: The emergency personnel will know to contact us by your decals or by word of mouth. It is important that all friends and family members be notified of your membership with Air Evac Lifeteam. We also have an additional service called Lifeteam Alert that stores your medical information in our database. The emergency personnel know to retrieve this information by necklace, bracelet or key tag.
Q: Do you go to any hospital that is requested by the member?
A: We try to honor the request of our members, but if the medical personnel do not feel that the member will make it to the hospital of their choice safely they will take the member to the closest appropriate facility.
Q: Can only a physician call you?
A: If the emergency is a scene flight anyone can call us. If the emergency is a hospital to hospital transfer the residing physician or nurse has to call the Communication Center to imitate the flight.
Q: If there a limit to how many people can be on one membership?
A: There is no limit to how many people may be on one membership. If everyone permanently resides under the same roof then they may be covered under the same membership.
Q: If we move will our membership transfer to the same location?
A: Your membership will cover you anywhere in our coverage area. We request that all members call us as soon as their address has been changed so we can update their records.
Q: My finance and I are getting married soon. If we sign up for a membership may we sign up as a couple (2 person)?
A: To enroll for a couple membership you do not have to be related. As long as you reside permanently under the same roof you can be covered under the same membership.
Q: Does Medicaid or Medicare pay for the membership fees?
A: Medicaid and Medicare do not pay for the membership fees. It is the responsibility of the member to pay for the membership fee.
Q: Are there any circumstances when air transport would be refused?
A: Air transport can be refused if we are on another flight, Out of Service for maintenance, or Out of Service for weather. Or if patient conditions is not deemed medically necessary.
Q: How does a hospital determine if a patient has to be transferred from one hospital to another?
A: The transfer is determined by the condition of the patient. If the patient is having problems we will transport the patient to the closest appropriate facility.
History and General Company Information
Q: What is Air Evac Lifeteam?
A: Air Evac Lifeteam is a membership-supported air ambulance company that serves rural communities throughout the central U.S. The company’s mission is “to provide air medical transportation in rural areas”. It is the largest independently owned air ambulance service in the country.
Q: When was Air Evac Lifeteam founded?
A: The Company was founded in 1985 by a group of private citizens in the small town on West Plains, Missouri. They wanted to provide better access to emergency medical care for people who have chosen to live in rural communities. At that time, West Plains had a population of less than 9,000 and the closest major hospital was more than 100 miles away by ground ambulance. The road system in this hilly, remote region of the Ozarks often made it difficult to reach people in a timely manner.
Q: What type of transportation does Air Evac Lifeteam do?
A: The air ambulance helicopter and crews are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and can respond to the scenes of medical emergencies, or make critical care inter-facility transfers. Air Evac Lifeteam helicopters frequently respond to the scenes of motor vehicle accidents, heart attacks, stroke victims, farm accidents, respiratory distress incidents and other traumatic injuries. Many times AEL will transfer patients from rural hospitals to metropolitan hospitals that can provide a higher level of acute trauma care.
Q: What are the benefits of air ambulance transport?
A: A decrease in time is the main advantage of using air ambulance transport. Often, a patient can be transported in less than half the time it would take if traveling by ground ambulance. Physicians us a term called the “Golden Hour” which refers to the first hour after a person is injured. People suffering from a medical illness such as heart attack or stroke may also benefit from time urgent therapy. Studies have shown that a patient’s chances of recovery are greatly increased if a patient can receive medical attention within that first hour. Each helicopter is equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment so crews can begin administering lifesaving care at the scene and continue en route to the hospital.
Q: Who makes up the flight crew?
A: Each Air Evac Lifeteam crew includes a pilot, registered nurse and paramedic.
Medical Care:
Q: What role does AEL play in the emergency services community?
A: Air Evac Lifeteam crews work closely with ground ambulance services and other EMS agencies in their service areas. AEL recognizes that good patient care requires a team effort of everyone involved-from first responders and law enforcement officials to ground ambulance and hospital personnel. We each play distinct roles, with a common goal, in getting the patient to the appropriate medical care. AEL’s role is not to replace any emergency service already in place in a community. Air Evac is a resource to be called upon when a higher level of care is needed.
Q: Do medical crews have specialized training?
A: AEL’s registered nurses average six years of critical care experience. Each is required to have a minimum of three years critical care experience.
AEL’s paramedics average 10 years of active pre-hospital experience, and are required to have three years of experience.
All medical crewmembers must be certified in:
-Basic Life Support
-Advanced Cardiac Care
-Pediatric Advanced Life Support
-Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support or Basic Trauma Life Support
Air Evac has found that the nurse/paramedic combination works well because each can bring a separate set of skills and experience to the workplace. The pre-hosptial background of the paramedic complements the critical care skills of the nurse.
Q: Are AEL crews qualified to provide critical medical care?
A: Putting patient care and safety first is the focus of Air Evac Lifeteam Clinic Care Services. AEL accomplishes this through employee and outreach education, quality assurance and quality improvement programs, continuous review of medical protocols by staff and medical doctors, and through participating in clinical research and development projects.
Air Evac Lifeteam medical crewmembers must undergo quarterly and annual competency classes, as determined by company medical directors. These competencies can be earned through monthly in-services or other continuing education programs.
Medical direction for Air Evac Lifeteam is provided by medical directors located in each of the states served by AEL. The medical directors work together to develop the company’s medical protocols and ensure compliance with the medical regulations in each area.
Q: How do crews determine where to take patients?
A: As an independent provider, Air Evac Lifeteam is not financially supported by a particular hospital. This model enables our crews to impartially work with a variety of health care providers to place the “patient first”, and transport that patient to the closest facility that is able to provide the care needed for the patient’s particular medical condition.
Safety:
Q: Is Air Evac Lifeteam safe?
A: Yes, Air Evac Lifeteam is safe. AEL meets ALL FAA, federal and state regulations. The air ambulance industry is a regulated industry. If AEL did not meet FAA regulations, the company would not be allowed to operate.
Q: Are the helicopters Air Evac flies safe?
A: The Bell 206 LongRanger has been selected by AEL because of high reliability, low maintenance and operating efficiency.
A fleet consisting of a single type of helicopter leads to standardization, more efficient and effective training and maintenance, which results in a greater safety and reliability in servicing the air ambulance requirements of small rural communities.
Q: Are AEL pilots safe?
A: Air Evac Lifeteam’s instrument-rated pilots are skilled aviators who become proficient air medical pilots by training under AEL’s proprietary and FAA-approved training programs. The average flight time for an Air Evac Lifeteam pilot is about 5,400 hours.
Air Evac Lifeteam pilots must demonstrate instrument proficiency in a dedicated flight training simulator. AEL is among the few air medical companies with this strigent requirement.
Membership:
Q: What is the Air Evac Lifeteam’s membership program?
A: AEL is a membership-supported air ambulance service. More than 500,000 members contribute to AEL’s ability to provide a dedicated crew and medical helicopter to more than 75 rural communities. In return, AEL members are given special consideration when flown for a life- or limb-threatening medical emergencies that whatever cost is covered by the member’s insurance provider is considered payment in full.
Q: Will a helicopter always be available if I need one?
A: There may be times when the helicopter in a member’s area may be committed on another flight, or be out of service for maintenance or weather-related issues. In those instances, AEL may be able to call a helicopter from an adjoining service area. In some cases, a member may need to be transported by a ground ambulance or another air ambulance service. It’s important that a patient gets to the medical care they need as quickly as possible, no matter what the mode of transportation, so that they will have the best chances for survival and a greater chance for a full recovery.
Q: Does a membership ensure that Air Evac Lifeteam will fly me, no matter what type of medical care I need?
A: Air ambulances are valuable resources that should be reserved for those times when a patient is facing a critical injury and it is in the best interest to get to medical care at a rapid rate. AEL does not transport patients by air if the transportation is not medically necessary.
Q: If as a member, I end up being transported by ground ambulance or another air ambulance service, who is responsible for the bill?
A: If Air Evac Lifeteam does not transport a member and the member is transported by another air ambulance company or a ground ambulance service, the member is responsible for payment of the bill. The AEL membership program only covers flights made by AEL.
MISC:
Q: What is Air Evac Lifeteam?
A: Air Evac Lifeteam is the largest independently owened and operated membership-supported air ambulance company in the U.S. Supported by over half a million members, Air Evac employs over 1,200 people and is the largest air ambulance provider in 8 of its 11 states of operation, serving over 1,300 diverse referral services, including 600 hospitals and 700 EMS agencies. AEL operates the world’s largerst fleet of medically-equipped Bell 206 Long Ranger helicopters and has flown more than 120,000 people who were in critical need of care since its founding, carrying out it’s mission “to save lives and positively impact outcomes during life- or limb-threatening medical emergencies by providing rapid access to definitive emergency health care for people in rural America.”
Q: What constitutes a base location? Who constitutes a flight crew?
A: Each base location includes a flight crew, mechanic, helicopter, landing pad, typically a hangar and crew quarters. Each Air Evac Lifeteam flight crew includes a pilot, registered nurse and paramedic.
Q: How experiences are the flight crew?
A: The company’s pilots average more than 5,700 hours. Air Evac Lifeteam’s registered nurses average 6 years of critical care experience and the company’s paramedics average 10 years of active pre-hospital experience. |
