Whether it’s a heart attack, severe illness, or other emergency, you may find yourself at your local clinic or hospital in need of advanced care. The only option may be to rely on an air ambulance to take you off island to a healthcare facility more suitable for your emergency.
If you have coverage from MASA Assist, all we require is a medical report from your attending physician at your hospital or local clinic. We receive the documents from your physician, review them, and once approved, coordinate your transport. You’ll never have to worry about a big air ambulance bill, because your MASA coverage is there to support you when you need it most.
Why are ambulance rides so costly?
If you’ve ever taken an air ambulance, you know that it can bring up a mix of feelings. You may feel gratitude for the help and care; but worry about the outcome of your emergency and just how much this help may end up costing you.
The average air ambulance flight from the Caribbean can cost as much as $24,000.1 The cost of emergency medical transportation can escalate quickly, depending on the distance, type of vehicle, and level of care required. A patient’s bill will include:
Base fee or mileage charges
Typically, a service will charge both a base fee and mileage.
Advanced Life Support (ALS) or Basic Life Support (BLS)
BLS: Includes basic medical care and transport. Costs are generally lower but vary by location. Situations that might require BLS include, cardiac arrest, an obstructed airway, or respiratory distress.
ALS: Includes more complex care, such as advanced medical procedures or monitoring with the goal of stabilizing a critical patient. This service is more expensive due to the additional resources and expertise required, such as advanced airway management, IV therapy, or advanced cardiac life support. Situations that might require ALS include, heart attack, trauma, poisoning, or stroke.
Medical supplies charges
The cost of supplies used during your trip, such as gloves, gauze, bandages, needles, or medications.
Medical personnel charges
The cost of any medical personnel who provided services during transport. Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and Paramedics are typically the medical personnel a patient encounters in emergency medical transportation. EMTs are trained to provide basic emergency care, whereas paramedics receive more advanced training. Paramedics can provide advance life support, perform a tracheotomy, or even deliver babies.
Specialized equipment and personnel
Air ambulances may include the costs for specialized equipment and medical staff, adding to the overall expense. Air ambulances are typically equipped like an intensive care unit in a hospital, with blood transfusion equipment, breathing monitoring systems, defibrillators, and a much more extensive supply of medications. They can also be customized depending upon the patient’s needs. The staff onboard may also include doctors and nurses with training specific to aeromedical care.
MASA Assist delivers peace of mind
Depending on your island, your health plan coverage could mean you may never see a bill from your initial emergency. When your doctor determines you need more targeted care off island, you’re one step ahead with MASA Assist. We’ll be there to coordinate your critical medical transport and provide comprehensive protection you can rely on to protect you from those big air ambulance bills.
To access your coverage for an ambulance bill, all you have to do is file a claim:
- Submit your ambulance bill
Within 180 days of the transport, simply file your claim by submitting your bill to MASA Assist. You can either email your bill to ambulanceclaims@masaglobal.com or upload your bill in the member portal.
Note: To process your claim, in addition to the invoice we may require your health insurance claim form (HICFA) and explanation of benefits (EOB), the ambulance run notes, and the ambulance provider’s W9. MASA claim specialists will advise you on how to obtain these. - Rely on MASA Assist
We’ll review your bill, then work to resolve your claim and provide your coverage. - Check your status
You can check the status of an existing claim in the member portal, through the MASA app, or by calling (800) 643-9023.
To find out more about which benefits are included in your plan, view your coverage terms on the MASA app or the member portal.
1: MASA Internal Data, Updated July 2024