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.
Asshole Nazi devil moderator out to get each and every one of you
Nothing in all the world is more dangerous
than sincere ignorance
and conscientious stupidity.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
disce quasi semper victurus vive quasi cras moriturus
The return of MRA #321! Sponsored by Western Ambulance, Chicane Trackdays, and a very patient wife...
"Every Crotch is a Rocket" HDAVE
'09 Suzuki SV650
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MRA#522
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?
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.
Bulldog's Motto: F*ck around and I'm going to bite you!!!
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
#703
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
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).
Bulldog's Motto: F*ck around and I'm going to bite you!!!
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
#703
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
I have no idea what you're talking about.
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!
Bulldog's Motto: F*ck around and I'm going to bite you!!!
Bulldog's Motto: F*ck around and I'm going to bite you!!!
Asshole Nazi devil moderator out to get each and every one of you
Nothing in all the world is more dangerous
than sincere ignorance
and conscientious stupidity.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
disce quasi semper victurus vive quasi cras moriturus
The return of MRA #321! Sponsored by Western Ambulance, Chicane Trackdays, and a very patient wife...
Bulldog's Motto: F*ck around and I'm going to bite you!!!
Beginning season bump. See my first post for what you should do
#703
BUMP for next year's racing season. Just called to confirm my medical plan coverage
Don't get stuck with a medical bill that you can't afford
See original post for details
#703