Air Ambulance in Health Insurance
  • Air Ambulance Services
  • Emergency Evacuations
  • Top-quality Medical Care
Air Ambulance in Health Insurance
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Air Ambulance Cover in Health Insurance

As the world is growing rapidly, it's becoming a large market for people who need medical attention. But for people residing in mountain regions or remote areas, it's difficult to find help for critical emergencies. In such cases, an air ambulance comes to rescue people living miles away from accommodated facilitation. This concept is helping bridge geographical barriers, and providing life-saving aids to critical patients.

Air ambulance services play a vital role in meeting medical care with a rapid response. But still, people have queries related to the cost, coverages and limits of air aid, Let's demystify the concepts of air ambulance here.

Benefits and Limitations of Air Ambulance

In times of emergency when timely specialized care is required, airlifting the patient can be a saviour. That's where air ambulance comes in light. Let's know about the benefits of an air ambulance through this table:-

  • Time-saving In times of urgent coverage, where a person needs quick and advanced medical attention. It can cover a large distance in very less time than the roadways
  • Remotely accessible In remote or accommodating rural areas where transportation accessibility is lower than in cities, an air ambulance can increase the chances of surviving a critical patient.
  • Saviour in disasters/emergencies To rescue people from unreachable or disaster-prone areas, this mode of medical transport can facilitate easiness.
  • Less traffic congestion Air carriers are not limited by road traffic jams or other vehicle closures, meaning they can avoid delays in reaching a medical facility in time.
  • Interfacility connectivity If a high-level treatment is not available in local areas, you can leverage the air ambulance facility to transfer a critical patient to an advanced hospital rapidly.

On the contrary, it has its own sets of limitations too. Let's put together the limitations of an air ambulance:-

  • Cost Several insurance companies may or may not provide you with this backup every time. But the cost of an air ambulance in itself is not easy to afford for many of you. As the operational costs, medical staff, specialized equipment, etc. trigger the cost of it.
  • Weather & Aviation In adverse weather situations like- fog/rain/breezy clouds, etc., it's likely difficult to operate an air ambulance. Whereas visibility and aviation (traffic control, landing, necessary clearances, etc.) issues can impact or delay the expected timely treatments.
  • Communication challenges The crucial communication modes can be mishandled between the crew members and the medical staff. It can be caused due to some technical issues or barriers in language mode that can delay proper attention towards the patient.
  • Availability & limitations- In some regions, air ambulance services might not be operational and can prevent you from reaching the facility centre. For some patients who have respiratory constraints or something rarely critical that might require high-end medical support, multiple layers of protection shall not be carried out.
  • Risk & Instability Air ambulance services can sometimes be risky such as it can catch an unforeseen accident or crash. Moreover, a change in altitude or noise can be disturbing for the patient. Chances are that, it might cause instability and several complications related to breathing, blood pressure, nausea, uneasiness, and more.

Air Ambulance Specifics in India

Let's read this table to get a clear picture of how a flight ambulance works:-

Types

Helicopter air ambulance- Equipped with medical facilitation and specialized medical staff, this rapid response air ambulance is accessible for remote urban areas having limited landing spaces, or for shorter distances.
Fixed-wing air ambulance- These aeroplanes are suitable for covering longer distances, either within the country or across borders. It has all the pre-set advanced equipment to handle even critical patients.
Search and rescue air ambulance- Used to carry along injured or critical patients in case of disasters in rugged/unreachable areas. It helps to evacuate and rescue people from remote regions to accessible areas.
Neonatal & pediatric air ambulance- It's lash with all the advanced equipment that is required during any critical emergency with newborns or children. The staff and pilots present inside this ambulance are highly trained to handle the viable medical needs of the patients.
Organ transport air ambulance- This ambulance service is used to carry body organs that have been donated to get transplanted during surgeries. To maintain the viability of body organs, the speed and coordination of this air ambulance is well known.

Documents required

A validating medical certificate and clearance letter provided by a registered hospital or a medical practitioner
Passport or relevant documents
Patient's medical insurance policy
A copy of the air ambulance provider's policy
Documented medical records of the patient and proven medical history certificates
The patient's undersigned authorization letter and his family's/relative's approval to take the flight, etc

Conditions covered

Urgent medical conditions, Critical illness care, Traumatic cases, prenatal/neonatal care, heart attacks, strokes, evacuation and rescue due to a disastrous situation.

Cost

Base fare- The aviation company providing air ambulance services charges accordingly but it somewhere lies between Rupees 50,000-2,50,000.
Per-kilometre charge- It's a charge that varies according to the distance you're travelling to reach medical facilitation. It can be between Rupees 50-200 per km.
Aircraft model- The type of aircraft/air ambulance in regards to the situation decides the range viz, Rupees 2,00,000-10,00,000. In the case of an International air ambulance, it can be more than this.
Specialized medical personnel- They are highly trained to handle the most vulnerable and critical situations, hence charges vary from Rupees 20,000-1,00,000 or more.

Coverage specifications

Contact your insurance provider in an emergency for immediate help and ask them to arrange an air ambulance.
Provide all the required details- patient's condition, care needed, the location etc.
Take pre-authorization from your insurer to arrange air transport, as it could be mentioned in your policy clause itself.
In-network service providers have a good deal for you, as it may cost you lower out-of-pocket expenses and helpful to provide maximum coordination with the company.
Keep a record of everything so that this documentation can help you achieve the desired reimbursement while making a claim.

NOTE:- Depending on these factors, the charges of an air ambulance may vary somewhere between a range of Rupees 1,00,000 to 10,00,000 or sometimes more. The cost of these services is highly subject to your policy's plan, budget, and requirements. And the above-mentioned price of airlifting a patient is estimated as the lowest.

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Putting Up Together

In an expansion like India, where northeastern states, remote villages, mountainous regions, etc., it's complicated to send help in disasterous/critical emergencies. An air ambulance is bridging the distant gaps between a remote area to top-class facilitation.

If you or your family somehow get stuck in a critical situation where you cannot help reach them. It can be a boon, so it's better to add air ambulance riders to your policy or buy a separate policy from a reliable and multi-functional insurance company.

Air Ambulance in Health Insurance: FAQs

1. What are the factors influencing the cost of air ambulance services?

The cost of air ambulance services may vary depending upon the aircraft used in evacuation/uplifting, the personnel or special staff required, the distance from medical facilitation, the use of special equipment to keep the patient's health in check, etc.

2. How can I coordinate with my insurance provider asking for air ambulance services?

During an emergency, reach out to your insurance company via their customer support. Obtain all the necessary instructions and thorough guidelines regarding the arrangements and authorization etc.

3. How much air ambulance cost in India?

The cost may vary from state to state or from one region to another. But the estimate for an air ambulance in India may cost you between Rupees 50,000-2,00,000. The major deciding factor in the cost calculation of this kind of service is- the explicitly of treatment, the patient's condition, facilities needed, operational region, and so on.

4. I live in a remote area, Can I avail air ambulance service?

Yes of course. Air ambulance services are majorly used for rescuing people residing in remote or hilly areas. However, the dependency on its specific availability shall be covered in case of a medical emergency, tragic disasters, critical illnesses, etc.

5. Can I avail of an air ambulance service while travelling to a foreign country?

Some plans may cover pre-existing conditions, some have exclusions or a specific waiting period. Depending upon the policy terms and your insurance providers, it might vary from policy to policy or company to company.

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Simran Nirala

Written By: Simran Nirala

Simran has an experience of 3 years in insurance content writing. She transitioned from hospitality to the insurance industry after her emerging interest in how vast insurance is. With her ability to write complex insurance concepts in a simple, relatable manner she keeps her audience hooked and solves their doubts smoothly.