Which heli company does HPR/MRA use?

[tecknojoe]

In case of emergency, which company does HPR/MRA use to fly people out?
I need to check my insurance before the season

Edit: Here's what I've found

CALL your insurance company. Tell them it's a timed racing event on a closed circuit. There are 2 main companies that fly you out: Airlife Denver and Flight for Life Denver. Ask how your coverage works in case of an emergency

Mine said I'm covered by any company that needs to fly me out, including the ambulance ride. They fly to the closest available facility. I verified my maxiumums and in network vs out of network

[rybo]

This is the outfit the I flew with in May

I did not depart from HPR, but rather from Strassburg, but this is the company that typically arrives at HPR.



http://airlifedenver.com/

[Wrider]

This is the outfit the I flew with in May

I did not depart from HPR, but rather from Strassburg, but this is the company that typically arrives at HPR.



http://airlifedenver.com/

The bright side of crashing in spectacular fashion is that you get a helicopter ride out of it. I've always wanted to ride in a helicopter!

[tecknojoe]

Thanks rybo, good info

I don't want a ride in the copter. Best I can do is make sure that I at least don't get the full bill for it

[rforsythe]

Western Ambulance will call Air Life dispatch. That does not guarantee an Air Life flight, however. There is an agreement between the helicopter EMS companies here to call another one if they can't make it for some reason. It's certainly possible that they'll call AL and Flight For Life will show up, for example.

I've never heard of an insurance company distinguishing between flight medical transport, however. Emergency transport is emergency transport. The only reason they might not cover you is some type of waiver for motorsports competition, but they would generally also deny ground transport at that point as well. That's what you need to be checking your policy for, not worrying about if they'll cover one color of helicopter over another. :)

[spideyrdr]

Ah, great, another thing for me to be paranoid about. "Yeah, they transported his mangled body back to Denver in a helicopter, and it's gonna cost ya!'

Mostly kidding, it's good you're looking into this shit. Life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment, and general health insurance is something anyone going to the track ought to check out. Having a policy not cover you during non-professional competition would suuuuuuuuck.

[laspariahs]

Ah the joys of the american "healthcare" system.

[rybo]

The bright side of crashing in spectacular fashion is that you get a helicopter ride out of it. I've always wanted to ride in a helicopter!

It's not as glamourous as you might think. In my case I got a really nice view of the ceiling in the helicopter since they had me on a backboard.

I advise against this method of leaving the racetrack.


The only thing more expensive than racing is an unplanned exit from the venue in a helicopter.

[rybo]

I've never heard of an insurance company distinguishing between flight medical transport, however. Emergency transport is emergency transport. The only reason they might not cover you is some type of waiver for motorsports competition, but they would generally also deny ground transport at that point as well. That's what you need to be checking your policy for, not worrying about if they'll cover one color of helicopter over another. :)

On an interesting note, AirLife was listed as an "in network" provider for my health insurance, and as such they paid a greater portion of the bill (or negotiated a larger discount). That being said, I didn't check to see if the other provider was also "in network", but it's something to consider.

Scott

[spideyrdr]

..they had me on a backboard.

I advise against this method of leaving the racetrack.



Good advice!

[tecknojoe]

Yea see there's a lot of things that seem to be up in the air about this. So I'm going to thoroughly investigate with my insurance

I wouldn't even be surprised if the standard bill AFTER insurance is a couple grand

[Wrider]

Yea see there's a lot of things that seem to be up in the air about this.

http://semiaccurate.com/assets/uploads/2012/03/I-See-What-You-Did-There..png

[rybo]

Yea see there's a lot of things that seem to be up in the air about this. So I'm going to thoroughly investigate with my insurance

I wouldn't even be surprised if the standard bill AFTER insurance is a couple grand

Probably even more than that. Lets say that my "maximum out of pocket" showed up pretty quickly last May.

[madvlad]

A ride in a helicopter has to be at least what $20k+? The out of pocket has to be the down payment for a house lol

[rybo]

A ride in a helicopter has to be at least what $20k+? The out of pocket has to be the down payment for a house lol

That's pretty close.

[laspariahs]

A ride in a helicopter has to be at least what $20k+? The out of pocket has to be the down payment for a house lol

It's only 20k if you don't have insurance, my insurance co would probably, at most, pay them a grand, from what they negotiated for me in the past. For example I went to the hospital, the hospital wanted 4k, I paid 15 dollars.

So really only those who can't afford it have to pay, it makes sense.

[madvlad]

It's only 20k if you don't have insurance, my insurance co would probably, at most, pay them a grand, from what they negotiated for me in the past. For example I went to the hospital, the hospital wanted 4k, I paid 15 dollars.

So really only those who can't afford it have to pay, it makes sense.

That's weird man cause my stepdad had his son air lifted some years ago and he had one of the best insurances in the market. The ride total cost like $45k and even with insurance and all that crap he still had to pocket out like $12k for that one (of course given different circumstances may change price and what not) but yea.

[laspariahs]

That's weird man cause my stepdad had his son air lifted some years ago and he had one of the best insurances in the market. The ride total cost like $45k and even with insurance and all that crap he still had to pocket out like $12k for that one (of course given different circumstances may change price and what not) but yea.


Well I have a maximum deductible per service of 250 dollars, and I just checked Air life is in network, so it couldn't be more than that.

[madvlad]

Well I have a maximum deductible per service of 250 dollars, and I just checked Air life is in network, so it couldn't be more than that.

I dk, that's what the situation was at that time so not sure if other things within policy or whatever went into play there along with that.

[laspariahs]

I dk, that's what the situation was at that time so not sure if other things within policy or whatever went into play there along with that.
Well the company could have been out of network, which would change to the coinsurance rate I think, which mine is 80/20, so in a 45K trip it would cost me, 9000 dollars.

The insurance system is just a scam. What person with out insurance can afford 9k let alone more?

[madvlad]

Well the company could have been out of network, which would change to the coinsurance rate I think, which mine is 80/20, so in a 45K trip it would cost me, 9000 dollars.

The insurance system is just a scam. What person with out insurance can afford 9k let alone more?

Could've been, didn't know the the circumstances 100% behind it but overheard him and my mom talking numbers and shit lol.... Yea insurances are bullshit for sure.

[rforsythe]

The two companies you'll see at HPR are 99.9% going to be Air Life or Flight For Life. Be in network for those and you're golden.

[sprtbkbabe]

I would highly suggest having additional accidental insurance to cover what your main medical plan does not. I have Aflec and it runs another $40/month.

Then again, I work in insurance and get worse coverage than what my clients see.

[Sleev]

A ride in a helicopter has to be at least what $20k+? The out of pocket has to be the down payment for a house lol

"no thanks, I'll just walk it off"

[Foolds]

I would highly suggest having additional accidental insurance to cover what your main medical plan does not. I have Aflec and it runs another $40/month.

Then again, I work in insurance and get worse coverage than what my clients see.

Last I heard Aflac didnt cover motorsports.

[rforsythe]

"no thanks, I'll just walk it off"

Good luck with that when you have a brain hemorrhage, or tension pneumothorax coming on.

The vast majority of transports from HPR are by ground, usually with a handoff to Strasburg EMS in Byers. Occasionally a helo is warranted, and as the decision is not taken lightly, neither should yours be on whether you'd rather be broke or dead.

Put another way - I know all of the EMT's and medics that work HPR personally and professionally, and would trust them with my life. If they say I need to get to da choppa, I need to get to da choppa.

[sprtbkbabe]

Last I heard Aflac didnt cover motorsports.

No group health plan/insurance policy covers "professional motorsports" where you get paid to race. We're not at that level. Recreational is something else

[rybo]

Last I heard Aflac didnt cover motorsports.

I've had AFLAC and it has covered for me

[bulldog]

Good luck with that when you have a brain hemorrhage, or tension pneumothorax coming on.

The vast majority of transports from HPR are by ground, usually with a handoff to Strasburg EMS in Byers. Occasionally a helo is warranted, and as the decision is not taken lightly, neither should yours be on whether you'd rather be broke or dead.

Put another way - I know all of the EMT's and medics that work HPR personally and professionally, and would trust them with my life. If they say I need to get to da choppa, I need to get to da choppa.
http://cf.chucklesnetwork.agj.co/items/1/2/7/6/7/1/get-to-the-choppa.jpg

[Snowman]

It sounds cheaper to just rent the copter.

So we will have to look at all the reviews from those offering the service, get competitive bids, figure out which is most cost effective for your articular situation, negotiate any discounts there might be. That's how the free enterprise system is suppose to work and guarantee value for the money you spend.

Of course most of us are not skilled enough to preform this task while unconscious strapped to a back board.

So we have insurance to cover these expenses.

But when these policies change yearly and are several pages of legal explanations as to what is and isn't covered, who really knows if it even covers anything at all. And so we have people working for the insurance company whose job it is to make as much profit for their shareholders as possible, making choices about what health care you should have or not. Leaving us to buy insurance to cover the insurance. And some how this is better than all of us being on Medicare.

So back to my main question. Where can I rent a copter?

[rybo]

It sounds cheaper to just rent the copter and pilot.



So back to my main question. Where can I rent a copter?



Here:

http://frontrangehelicopters.com/

[bulldog]

It sounds cheaper to just rent the copter and pilot.

So we will have to look at all the reviews from those offering the service, get competitive bids, figure out which is most cost effective for your articular situation, negotiate any discounts there might be. That's how the free enterprise system is suppose to work and guarantee value for the money you spend.

Of course most of us are not skilled enough to preform this task while unconscious strapped to a back board.

So we have insurance to cover these expenses.

But when these policies change yearly and are several pages of legal explanations as to what is and isn't covered, who really knows if it even covers anything at all. And so we have people working for the insurance company whose job it is to make as much profit for their shareholders as possible, making choices about what health care you should have or not. And some how this is better and all of us being on Medicare.

So back to my main question. Where can I rent a copter? Are you really thinking you are going to negotiate in a emergency situation or have much of a say in which helicopter gets you? It doesn't work like that.Also in most cases a insurance company cannot enforce "in network policies" when it is a emergency and is forced to pay. Last, even if they did negotiate, do you really want to waste the precious time you have; they only bring in a chopper when it is a matter of time to save you! Plus I highly doubt a EMT can even negotiate and cares about anything more than medical care.

And when it comes to your healthcare you can always find what is covered under your plan in emergency situations; and if you don't like it you can always pay more for better insurance. I agree insurance companies are all about making them profit, but you have to be smarter than them and do your homework before and not after. If you don't know what your deductible and coinsurance is, then it can be a horrible thing to find out when it is too late.

[tecknojoe]

So from everything I've gathered in this thread:

1) Make sure your insurance covers for the two popular copter services that HPR uses
2) Possibly look into Aflack or something similar to cover the uncovered part of the expense, which could actually still be a large amount of money

ok, you are free to turn this thread into crap now. Thanks all

[Snowman]

Are you really thinking you are going to negotiate in a emergency situation or have much of a say in which helicopter gets you? It doesn't work like that.Also in most cases a insurance company cannot enforce "in network policies" when it is a emergency and is forced to pay. Last, even if they did negotiate, do you really want to waste the precious time you have; they only bring in a chopper when it is a matter of time to save you! Plus I highly doubt a EMT can even negotiate and cares about anything more than medical care.

And when it comes to your healthcare you can always find what is covered under your plan in emergency situations; and if you don't like it you can always pay more for better insurance. I agree insurance companies are all about making them profit, but you have to be smarter than them and do your homework before and not after. If you don't know what your deductible and coinsurance is, then it can be a horrible thing to find out when it is too late. Sarcasm is a word you should really look up sometime...

[bulldog]

Sarcasm is a word you should really look up sometime... Ummm, ok, but I don't get you....or get how sarcasm comes through in text. You sound like you were serious and your post above this still makes it sound like certain insurance companies will not cover you in a emergency (not sure in a pro racing setting however). I am a health insurance expert so was just trying to help out :dunno:

And yes, any secondary insurance is going to pick up what the first one doesn't cover (maybe not all but most.) Hell you can even get a third insurance to really make sure....and this does not have to be a company like Aflac; any insurance company (like UHC, BCBS, Aetna, etc) offers secondary insurance as long as you pay for it (or get it through your spouse).

[rybo]

So from everything I've gathered in this thread:

1) Make sure your insurance covers for the two popular copter services that HPR uses
2) Possibly look into Aflack or something similar to cover the uncovered part of the expense, which could actually still be a large amount of money

ok, you are free to turn this thread into crap now. Thanks all

Sorry I didn't mean to turn it to crap- it's a serious topic and one that I (unfortunately) know a lot about.

I too know and trust the EMTs that take care of us when we ride at HPR. I'm happy that they were there to take care of me when I fell down last year.

Scott

[tecknojoe]

Sorry I didn't mean to turn it to crap- it's a serious topic and one that I (unfortunately) know a lot about.

I too know and trust the EMTs that take care of us when we ride at HPR. I'm happy that they were there to take care of me when I fell down last year.

Scott

nah u weren't turning it to crap. I'm glad to get some info from you about your accident, so that I can learn from someone elses experience so that mine can be not as painful if and when it happens

now, the concern is when I can get Rybo scheduled for some one on one track time :eyebrows:

[Sleev]

Yes, thanks for sharing your story. I was just being a smartass and was genuinely curious as to how much something like that ends up costing

[Snowman]

Ummm, ok, but I don't get you....or get how sarcasm comes through in text. You sound like you were serious and your post above this still makes it sound like certain insurance companies will not cover you in a emergency (not sure in a pro racing setting however). I am a health insurance expert so was just trying to help out :dunno:

And yes, any secondary insurance is going to pick up what the first one doesn't cover (maybe not all but most.) Hell you can even get a third insurance to really make sure....and this does not have to be a company like Aflac; any insurance company (like UHC, BCBS, Aetna, etc) offers secondary insurance as long as you pay for it (or get it through your spouse).Insurance for insurance that covers the holes in your insurance? Do you not see the problem with that?

The answer to the OPs question is that you will have to ask the people you have insurance with. "I race motorcycles with the MRA at a track that might require me to be air lifted out. Do you pay the cost of this?" I suggest you get the answer in writing.

All the other people who are there to respond to our mistakes, I have complete trust and admiration for. Every EMT, Doctor and Medical staff that has dealt with any of the riders that have ever been down in our sport. What they do to bring us back are nothing less than human created miracles.

[bulldog]

Insurance for insurance that covers the holes in your insurance? Do you not see the problem with that?

The answer to the OPs question is that you will have to ask the people you have insurance with. "I race motorcycles with the MRA at a track that might require me to be air lifted out. Do you pay the cost of this?" I suggest you get the answer in writing.

All the other people who are there to respond to our mistakes, I have complete trust and admiration for. Every EMT, Doctor and Medical staff that has dealt with any of the riders that have ever been down in our sport. What they do to bring us back are nothing less than human created miracles. Well virtually no insurance covers 100% and even the best plans have a copay/deductible you have to pay, so really it is not "holes" in insurance as much as it is covering the patients part. Even Medicare has a copay they require patients to pay. I agree our insurance system sucks and it is not about care as much as it is profit.

But yeah you are right and "racing" may be one exception to them denying a claim. As you said best to check on this before it happens to you and then really consider the risk! I see claim bills in the millions for accidents so there is a good chance you could be stuck with this bill if they do not cover you.

A lot of times you can say the injury happened somewhere else and they will never questions it, but a ambulance ride or a heli ride will always give them the point of pickup and there is no denying that.

This really could be a huge risk for people that race and they need to be aware of it before they find themselves with huge medical bills!

[Grim2.0]

Well virtually no insurance covers 100% and even the best plans have a copay/deductible you have to pay, so really it is not "holes" in insurance as much as it is covering the patients part. Even Medicare has a copay they require patients to pay. I agree our insurance system sucks and it is not about care as much as it is profit.

But yeah you are right and "racing" may be one exception to them denying a claim. As you said best to check on this before it happens to you and then really consider the risk! I see claim bills in the millions for accidents so there is a good chance you could be stuck with this bill if they do not cover you.

A lot of times you can say the injury happened somewhere else and they will never questions it, but a ambulance ride or a heli ride will always give them the point of pickup and there is no denying that.

This really could be a huge risk for people that race and they need to be aware of it before they find themselves with huge medical bills!


The answer is simple, have someone drag the bike to the road outside of the track. Recite these words: "I got hit by a car and they took off"

Bingo bango bongo

[bulldog]

The answer is simple, have someone drag the bike to the road outside of the track. Recite these words: "I got hit by a car and they took off"

Bingo bango bongo Hate to say it, but yup! That is if you can be moved or the ambulance/heli was not already called. Most people call 911 right away before the hurt person even knows so still good to check on this before it happens!

[rforsythe]

Hate to say it, but yup! That is if you can be moved or the ambulance/heli was not already called. Most people call 911 right away before the hurt person even knows so still good to check on this before it happens!

A bit harder to stage your wreck at a track where there's on-site medical crews standing by for your yard-sale moment. :)

[bulldog]

A bit harder to stage your wreck at a track where there's on-site medical crews standing by for your yard-sale moment. :) For sure! And don't think these insurance companies won't spend money to investigate either, because they will; they have entire departments just for this. Then you get insurance fraud charges on top of it all.

[tecknojoe]

Beginning season bump. See my first post for what you should do

[bulldog]

Beginning season bump. See my first post for what you should do Great advice...check now not when you ever need it...insurance companies are crooks so do your homework :up:

[tecknojoe]

BUMP for next year's racing season. Just called to confirm my medical plan coverage :hump:

Don't get stuck with a medical bill that you can't afford

See original post for details

[07D675CO]

It sounds cheaper to just rent the copter.

So we will have to look at all the reviews from those offering the service, get competitive bids, figure out which is most cost effective for your articular situation, negotiate any discounts there might be. That's how the free enterprise system is suppose to work and guarantee value for the money you spend.

Of course most of us are not skilled enough to preform this task while unconscious strapped to a back board.

So we have insurance to cover these expenses.

But when these policies change yearly and are several pages of legal explanations as to what is and isn't covered, who really knows if it even covers anything at all. And so we have people working for the insurance company whose job it is to make as much profit for their shareholders as possible, making choices about what health care you should have or not. Leaving us to buy insurance to cover the insurance. And some how this is better than all of us being on Medicare.

So back to my main question. Where can I rent a copter?

What is this sense you are making? I want to pay more than I have to for healthcare!!!!

[bulldog]

BUMP for next year's racing season. Just called to confirm my medical plan coverage :hump:

Don't get stuck with a medical bill that you can't afford

See original post for details Again, the #1 thing to check is if your insurance will cover "motorsports" under your current policy. Some will cover it, but only at a extra cost! Some won't at all...don't wait till after you need it...find out now!

Next check your deductible...as some say it can be $15 all the way up to $15K....depends on the plan! Generally you pay more up front for a lower deductible, and opposite on other; cheaper monthly insurance dues and a higher deductible.....just all a gamble!

[rybo]

BUMP for next year's racing season. Just called to confirm my medical plan coverage :hump:

Don't get stuck with a medical bill that you can't afford

See original post for details

As a side note please check carefully the terms and conditions of your supplemental policies (such as AFLAC) They have greatly changed in the last couple of years. I was approached for the coverage this year and examined the T&C's and discovered the following clause-

"Any event on a closed circuit for the purpose of competition, testing or practice is excluded"

Now you know.

[TFOGGuys]

Falling off of motorcycles at speed is expensive. Street or track. Ask me how I know.

[hcr25]

Falling off of motorcycles at speed is expensive. Street or track. Ask me how I know.

Or you could ask me :)

[TFOGGuys]

Or you could ask me :)

Yup, exactly. Or Rybo. Or Ralph.