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Boogerchair t1_iu8x9t9 wrote

Reply to comment by Alpaca-Bowl420 in A Colorado train passenger looked out the window - and found a missing hiker. by inkwater

Depends if they have insurance or not.

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slipperyzoo t1_iu95oju wrote

Insurance rarely covers air rescue. Typically costs $30k+.

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Boogerchair t1_iu9b1am wrote

Medical necessity, out of pocket max, etc.

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slipperyzoo t1_iu9gzuy wrote

Yeah and medical necessity is subjective with an insanely high bar. For example: ground would result in an amputation, but air saves the limb. Insurance will deny paying for air because it's possible to live without a limb. Two days lost and a broken leg wont be enough for her to qualify. It has to be immediately life-threatening. And also there's plenty of examples like this case: https://www.berensonlaw.com/huge-air-ambulance-bill-after-car-accident-heres-what-to-do/

As usual, our system fucks whoever it can, however it can.

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Boogerchair t1_iu9k42e wrote

Linking an article written to garner attention about a worst case scenario doesn’t mean anything about the average case. It doesn’t mean anything about this post either. I said it depends on insurance and it does. Some insurances will cover airlifts and some doctors would insist it’s medical necessity. This person could wind up paying 30k as you suggest or nothing, neither of us know their situation.

But living life assuming the worst case is default must be exhausting.

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avidiax t1_iuartbi wrote

The "worst case scenario" in this case is being deliberately expanded for the profit of private investment funds.

Nobody has insurance that covers more than a small percentage of "out of network" claims.

The courts are siding with the investors charging a 700% markup for an air ambulance ride and refusing to join any insurance networks and negotiate.

So is it the "worst case scenario"? Sure. It's also going to be the most common scenario soon, if it's not already. All that 700% profit buys allows them to buy up any outfit that's charging reasonable rates.

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curiousarcher t1_iuc57yo wrote

This is insane! “I wrote last year about a young man whose family initially got hit with the full cost of the air ambulance – a whopping $58,000 – after he was involved in a motorcycle crash. Even after the health insurance company paid $15,000, the young man still had to pay $43,000.” Seems like it’s almost not worth it to be airlifted unless you’re definitely gonna die otherwise! Yikes.

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Xylem88 t1_iu9yyi1 wrote

Mine did (Cigna). I paid less than $1k for a $50k air rescue bill

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Boogerchair t1_iua8ifr wrote

That’s great. Everybody has a different situation, I don’t know why that was a contentious idea.

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