by Lin McNulty
A recent mass mailing from Island Air Ambulance may have been the first many of us heard about a seemingly local MedEvac Membership program. In the process of attempting to learn more about the services being offered as “peace of mind for less than the cost of a ferry ticket,” we received a new press release from the MedEvac Memership Team with some exciting news announcing their recent inclusion into the Association of Air Medical Membership Programs.
This allows people who have a membership in any of the participating programs to have their existing membership recognized for zero-out-of-pocket expenses with any of the other association members without the need to purchase additional memberships. Our website has comprehensive information about our particular program if you have further questions.
Simply put, San Juan County households will only need to have one membership to benefit from currently participating programs including: Airlift Northwest, Air St. Lukes, Care Flight, Enloe FlightCare, Life Flight Network, Northwest Medstar, and Wyoming Life Flight. And those with a membership in an AAMMP affiliated program will be honored by Island Air Ambulance.
To reiterate, if you currently have a membership with Airlift Northwest, or sign up for one, you will also be able to utilize the services of Island Air Ambulance. This is big news for when a patient needs to be flown off island and weather does not permit a helicopter approach or landing. Island Air Ambulance operates fixed wing aircraft and is based in Friday Harbor.
For additional information contact Island Air Ambulance at 800-966-6914 or visit their website, click on New Reciprocal Benefits. You may also want to then click on FAQs.
Thanks for this article — is it true that one needs health insurance in order for Airlift NW to pay for the flight?
Thanks, Susan, for your question.
NO. They will bill any available and applicable insurance that you do have, but they do not require you to have a medical insurance policy to become a member.
However, the upcoming ACA does require you to have medical insurance.
Lin,
Do you have that in writing from anyone?
I have received a notice from Airlift NW that says you can only renew if you have medical insurance. Because I pay for ALNW insurance for my employees and for a few others, we called and asked, and they confirmed that they will only renew members who have insurance. The registration form has also been changed to require you to include your insurance policy information.
I will say that this is a big change for many on the island, and even though the ACA will require medical coverage, it will take a few years for that to fully take. In the interim, I fear there will be many currently enrolled air-care members who will have to drop out of the program.
If you, or any of your readers have information that indicates that medical insurance is NOT required to enroll, it would be very helpful to those of us who have received the notice stating that it is.
Thanks!
The info came from the FAQ section on the MedEvac Membership website, stating that other insurance is not necessary. Chief Jim Cole from Island Air Ambulance and San Juan EMS verifies this information.
Airlift Northwest, however, does require other insurance. (Sorry for the confusion, Susan.)
Now, the question arises that if someone sets up a membership with MedEvac (Island Air Ambulance), which doesn’t require other insurance, but, because of the reciprocal agreements through Association of Air Medical Membership Programs (AAMMP), AirLift Northwest performs the actual flight, the rules of the carrier you signed up with will apply.
Bottom line: You don’t need other insurance to become a member of MedEvac (Island Air Ambulance), and you will still receive full benefit from all members of AAMMP.
Island Air Ambulance is certified as a critical care transporter, the same as Airlift Northwest, through the requirements of the AAMP.
Also note that your Medevac Membership extends to several reciprocal programs in the western United States.
Thank you Lin! Very helpful!
This is fantastic information. Lin, thank you for sharing.
I have been informed by both Airlift and medivac that they have no reciprocal agreement. You have to have membership in both to get service from both. Important for us on Waldron. Who makes the call? The sheriff’s dispatcher, through the An Juan County medical director who is Dr. Michael Sullivan soho has many hats including being the emergency medical direct for San Juan County amongst other things, the Director of the Peace health Hospital on San Juan. So if you get hauled off by Medivac and you have only Airlift coverage you get no protection. If you get hauled off by Airlift and have Medivac membership you have no protection. The medivac insurance comes with being a resident of the SJ Hospital District. Orcas and Waldron are not in the SJ Hospital District.