AirMedCare Network to Cease Membership Sales in Wyoming
4.3.2020
Decision follows Department of Insurance Pronouncement on Air Ambulance Memberships
(West Plains, MO)—AirMedCare Network today announced that it would immediately cease the sale of air ambulance memberships in Wyoming for services provided by AirMedCare Network affiliates in Wyoming. This decision follows the Wyoming Department of Insurance pronouncement that AirMedCare Network and other air ambulance membership providers will no longer be permitted to sell memberships to Wyoming residents unless they become licensed disability insurers. AirMedCare Network will continue to honor current Wyoming memberships through their expiration dates and will continue to sell memberships to Wyoming residents for service areas outside of Wyoming.
“We are incredibly disappointed by the Department’s decision,” Keith Hovey, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for AirMedCare Network, said. “We are not a disability insurer, and our membership is not disability insurance, but rather prepayment for discounted services. These new regulations misclassify air ambulance memberships and will prevent Wyoming residents from participating in cost-saving programs like ours.”
In its rush to impose regulations on air ambulance providers, the Wyoming Department of Insurance has lost sight of the value that an AirMedCare Network membership brings to state residents. Air ambulances play a critical role in providing residents, especially those who reside in medically underserved communities, access to emergency lifesaving medical treatment. AirMedCare Network air ambulance memberships guarantee that members flown by an AirMedCare Network provider will not incur any out-of-pocket expense for lifesaving air medical transport.
This is true even if an in-network insurance provider covers the member. For instance, if a member has an insurance plan with high deductibles or co-pays and an AirMedCare Network provider transports the member, they will have no liability for those deductibles or co-pays. If Medicare covers a member, an AirMedCare Network membership will cover the 20 percent co-pay. Also, if a member has no insurance and is transported by an AirMedCare Network provider, they will incur zero out-of-pocket costs for the transport.
Since 2017, AirMedCare Network providers have transported 872 members with Wyoming addresses, 488 of which had Medicare coverage, and 54 of which were uninsured. AirMedCare Network membership saved those residents over $5.8 million collectively. Under the newly imposed regulations, Wyoming residents will be financially responsible for all co-pays, deductibles, and balance bills resulting from rendered air medical transport services.
AirMedCare Network is encouraging its members to contact their state representatives and the Wyoming Department of Insurance to let them know that by eliminating the ability to purchase a membership, they are restricting access to emergency lifesaving medical treatment and imposing an unnecessary financial burden on state residents.
Wyoming Department of Insurance:307.777.7401 or 800.438.5768
Representative Eric Barlow: 307.682.9639
Senator Charles Scott: 307.473.2512
“We are incredibly disappointed by the Department’s decision,” Keith Hovey, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for AirMedCare Network, said. “We are not a disability insurer, and our membership is not disability insurance, but rather prepayment for discounted services. These new regulations misclassify air ambulance memberships and will prevent Wyoming residents from participating in cost-saving programs like ours.”
In its rush to impose regulations on air ambulance providers, the Wyoming Department of Insurance has lost sight of the value that an AirMedCare Network membership brings to state residents. Air ambulances play a critical role in providing residents, especially those who reside in medically underserved communities, access to emergency lifesaving medical treatment. AirMedCare Network air ambulance memberships guarantee that members flown by an AirMedCare Network provider will not incur any out-of-pocket expense for lifesaving air medical transport.
This is true even if an in-network insurance provider covers the member. For instance, if a member has an insurance plan with high deductibles or co-pays and an AirMedCare Network provider transports the member, they will have no liability for those deductibles or co-pays. If Medicare covers a member, an AirMedCare Network membership will cover the 20 percent co-pay. Also, if a member has no insurance and is transported by an AirMedCare Network provider, they will incur zero out-of-pocket costs for the transport.
Since 2017, AirMedCare Network providers have transported 872 members with Wyoming addresses, 488 of which had Medicare coverage, and 54 of which were uninsured. AirMedCare Network membership saved those residents over $5.8 million collectively. Under the newly imposed regulations, Wyoming residents will be financially responsible for all co-pays, deductibles, and balance bills resulting from rendered air medical transport services.
AirMedCare Network is encouraging its members to contact their state representatives and the Wyoming Department of Insurance to let them know that by eliminating the ability to purchase a membership, they are restricting access to emergency lifesaving medical treatment and imposing an unnecessary financial burden on state residents.
Wyoming Department of Insurance:307.777.7401 or 800.438.5768
Representative Eric Barlow: 307.682.9639
Senator Charles Scott: 307.473.2512