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INTRODUCTION
When a medical emergency requires air transport, decisions are made quickly — and the last thing you should be worrying about is the cost. This AirMedCare Network Air Ambulance Service Guide is designed to help you understand how emergency air medical transport works and how an AirMedCare Network (AMCN) membership supports you and your family during critical moments.
As the nation’s largest air ambulance membership network, AMCN partners with experienced medical flight providers across the country. When air transport is requested by medical professionals and provided by an AMCN network provider, your membership safeguards against the cost — meaning you pay $0 out-of-pocket for the transport.
In the sections that follow, you’ll learn when air ambulance services are typically used, what to expect during a flight and how membership applies. We’ll also outline important details such as benefits, exclusions and common scenarios. Our goal is simple: to help you feel informed, prepared and confident about how membership provides financial protection when it matters most.
UNDERSTANDING AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE
Air ambulance transport is a type of emergency medical transportation used when a patient needs to reach the right hospital quickly and ground transport would take too long or is not medically appropriate. In these situations, faster access to advanced medical care can make an important difference.
AirMedCare Network partners with accredited air ambulance providers who operate helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. These aircraft are staffed by experienced pilots and medical crews whose focus is simple: assess, stabilize and care for patients while transporting them to the closest appropriate medical facility.
Each aircraft is equipped with advanced medical equipment and functions much like a small intensive care unit in the air. Specially trained flight nurses and paramedics provide continuous care throughout the flight, monitoring the patient and responding to their needs every step of the way.
When Air Transport is Dispatched in an Emergency
Air ambulance transport is dispatched based on medical need — not by the patient or their family.
In an emergency, trained professionals make the decision. This may include 911 dispatchers, emergency medical personnel or hospital physicians. They determine whether air transport is the safest and fastest option for the patient based on factors such as:
• Severity of the patient’s condition
• Distance to the nearest appropriate hospital
• Traffic or terrain challenges
• The need for specialized treatment
AirMedCare Network membership does not guarantee that an AMCN provider will respond. The aircraft that arrives depends on location, availability and the judgment of emergency personnel at that time.
The most important thing is that the patient receives the care they need as quickly as possible.
What to Expect During Air Ambulance Transport
During the flight, the medical crew focuses fully on patient care.
Patients are closely monitored throughout the transport, and onboard medical equipment supports breathing, circulation and other critical needs while traveling to the hospital. Before arrival, the flight team communicates with the receiving hospital, so staff are prepared to continue care right away.
In most emergencies, family members do not fly with the patient due to space and safety limits. However, support teams will help keep families informed and explain next steps after the transport.
How AMCN Coordinates in an Emergency
AirMedCare Network is not involved in the medical decision to dispatch an aircraft. When an AMCN provider is requested and available, they respond — whether the patient is a member or not.
If transport is provided by a participating AMCN provider and the patient is an active AMCN member at the time of service, AMCN steps in after the flight to coordinate the financial side of the transport. Members will see no bill for flight costs.
If a member has insurance, the provider will bill any available insurance first. Once the insurance provider has processed the claim, any remaining balance for transport is eliminated under the AMCN membership program. Members do not need to negotiate charges or manage the billing process for flights. Any co-insurance or deductible in relation to the cost of the transport is not owed by the patient. The patient pays $0 out of pocket.
If a member does not have insurance, membership provides financial protection from the cost of the flight by the participating network provider.
AMCN’s role is to handle membership verification and billing coordination after the emergency so members can focus on recovery, not paperwork.
WHAT MEMBERSHIP OFFERS
With 320 locations across 38 states and over 3 million members, AirMedCare Network is the nation’s largest air ambulance membership network. AMCN providers together have been delivering emergency air ambulance services since 1985.
What Membership Covers
An active AMCN membership provides financial protection for:
Medically necessary emergency air ambulance transport performed by an AirMedCare Network participating provider
Both helicopter and fixed-wing transports when required
The portion of costs not covered by insurance, including deductibles and copays
Situations where insurance denies the claim
Instances where members do not have insurance; membership still applies.
Unlimited medically necessary transports during the membership period
Membership applies only when the transport is medically necessary and performed by a participating AMCN provider.
What Membership Does Not Offer
For clarity, membership does not apply to:
Air transports performed by providers outside of the AirMedCare Network
Hospital stays, physician services, or other medical charges unrelated to the flight
Non-emergency or medically unnecessary transports
Transports that occur before membership becomes active, typically a 14 day waiting period.
Membership is not health insurance. It is a financial protection program specific to emergency air medical transport within the AMCN network.
Who’s Included in Membership
One membership is structured to encompass an entire household. This includes the primary member as well as those who permanently reside at the same physical address. Spouses or domestic partners and dependent children living in the home are included.
College students who use the household as their permanent address are included, even if living away at school.
If you are unsure whether someone qualifies under your household membership, Member Services can confirm eligibility.
Signing Up for Air Ambulance Membership
You can become an AirMedCare Network member by enrolling online through the official AMCN website. To begin, you’ll enter your ZIP code to confirm service in your area and view the membership options available where you live. From there, you can review the details and pricing before completing your enrollment.
After enrollment is complete, AMCN provides confirmation materials that include important membership information and items such as a membership card and a vehicle sticker for easy reference. These materials are helpful to keep on hand, but are not required to be presented at the time of transport.
Activation dates and any applicable waiting period information are outlined in your membership documentation. For complete details, please refer to the Full Terms and Conditions.
Membership Pricing and Discounts
AirMedCare Network membership standard pricing in most areas begins at $99 a year, with discounts available to seniors over the age of 60. In Alaska, memberships are $125 per year. To confirm you live in an area serviced by an AMCN provider, you can enter your ZIP code on the AMCN Air Ambulance Service page. The tool shows pricing options and terms available where you live.
In many areas, AMCN offers multiple term lengths, such as 1-year, 3-year and 5-year membership options. Pricing for each option is shown when you look up your coverage area. Additionally, some municipalities partner with AirMedCare Network to offer their residents, employees or customers a discounted membership. To determine if one of these discounts applies to you, please contact our Member Services team.
How Membership Works with Insurance
AMCN does not require you to provide insurance information at the time of enrollment, and membership benefits are designed to apply whether a member has insurance, is underinsured or is uninsured.
When a member is transported by an AirMedCare Network participating provider, the provider will bill any available insurance or benefits plan first.
Once insurance or other benefits have been applied to a transport, the payment received is considered payment in full. Any remaining balance associated with that provider’s air ambulance charges is eliminated by the member’s AMCN membership. This means members transported by a participating provider do not receive a bill for the eligible transport.
In some cases, a provider may first seek payment from other responsible third parties (for example, auto insurance for accident-related transports). When those benefits have been processed, any unpaid portion for eligible transport charges is covered by the member’s AMCN membership benefits. Documentation supporting these billing practices is detailed in the provider’s published Terms and Conditions.
SERVICE AREAS & NETWORK PROVIDERS
Who is Part of the AirMedCare Network
AirMedCare Network is an alliance of emergency air ambulance providers that together form the largest emergency air ambulance membership network in the United States. It includes organizations such as Air Evac Lifeteam, Guardian Flight, Med-Trans Corporation, REACH Air Medical Services and others across the country.
This network covers more than 320 bases throughout 38 states, giving AMCN members access to a broad footprint of air medical services throughout large portions of the U.S.
Being part of this network means that when a network provider is dispatched to an emergency site, members will have no out-of-pocket costs associated with the eligible flight.
How to Check Local Coverage Areas
Because AMCN’s coverage area depends on where participating providers operate, members and prospective members can check whether AirMedCare Network providers service their area using the zip code lookup tool on AMCN’s website.
This tool shows whether there are AMCN air ambulance resources near a given location.
It’s important to understand that the map and lookup results are approximate and may be updated over time. Coverage areas can change as providers expand, relocate or adjust operations.
Understanding Coverage Areas
Service areas reflect where AMCN participating providers operate aircraft and can respond to emergencies.
However, membership does not guarantee that an AMCN provider will be the one dispatched in every situation. Dispatch decisions are guided by emergency medical professionals and depend on real-time factors such as aircraft location, availability and ongoing emergency demand at the time of the call.
Because of this, even in designated coverage areas, it’s possible that other emergency resources may be dispatched if they are closer or better positioned for a given call.
SUPPORT RESOURCES AND TERMS
Contacting Customer Support
If you have questions about your membership, details, billing or general account help, AirMedCare Network offers several ways to get in touch.
Member Services representatives are available to assist with questions about coverage areas, billing or membership details. You can reach a live membership representative at 833.819.3454, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. through 8 p.m. CT.
You can also contact us by mail at the following address:
AirMedCare Network
P.O. Box 948
West Plains, MO 65775
You may also find helpful answers in our online FAQ section, which covers many common questions about how membership works and what to expect.
Who to Call in an Emergency
In a medical emergency, always call 911 or your local emergency number first.
Emergency medical professionals on scene or at responding facilities make decisions about whether ground or air transport is medically appropriate based on the patient’s condition and need.
Do not call AirMedCare Network to request an aircraft. Air transport is dispatched by trained emergency personnel, and membership does not influence whether a participating AMCN provider is the one dispatched.
Learn More About AirMedCare Network
To learn more about AirMedCare Network, participating providers, service areas and membership details, visit www.airmedcarenetwork.com or call Member Services at 833.819.3454.
Full Terms of Conditions
AirMedCare Network membership is governed by the official Terms and Conditions. This document outlines important details about eligibility, coverage areas, billing coordination and member responsibilities.
For complete information, view or download the Terms and Conditions. In the event of any difference between this guide and the official Terms and Conditions, the Terms and Conditions govern.