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INTRODUCTION
Non-emergency medical air transport is the planned relocation of a patient who’s medically stable but cannot travel by conventional transportation due to their physical or cognitive limitations.
AirMedCare Network’s (AMCN) Fly-U-Home membership helps coordinate every aspect of your medical air transport, including flight planning, patient logistics, medical record transfers, and the navigation of airport security or customs when applicable.
This guide explains how non-emergency medical transportation works, when it applies, and what the Fly-U-Home membership provides.
The Basics of Non-emergency Air Medical Transport
Common circumstances associated with non-emergency air medical transportation
Hospital of Choice Transfers: These transports occur when a patient is stabilized at an out-of-area hospital and needs or wants to transfer to a facility closer to their home, support system, and care team for long-term recovery.
Stretcher & Mobility Needs: For patients who are medically stable but physically unable to remain seated for the duration of a commercial flight and require a continuous horizontal position.
Complex Oxygen Requirements: When a patient depends on high-flow oxygen or a ventilator that exceeds equipment limitations allowed on standard commercial airlines.
Post-Surgical Repatriation: For patients returning home after major surgery who require a monitored, pressurized environment to reduce the risk of complications such as blood clots.
Types of non-emergency air medical transport
Private Air Medical Transport: A dedicated, fully customized and medically configured aircraft for patients who are bedbound or require intensive monitoring. This is the most comprehensive option, providing a private environment with a full medical team for long-distance travel.
Commercial Medical Escort: A medical professional, such as a nurse or paramedic, who accompanies a stable patient on a standard commercial flight.
Associated costs
Non-emergency medical transport costs vary significantly depending on the type of service required. A commercial escort, where a medical professional accompanies a stable patient on a standard airline is a less expensive option for patients to get closer to home to recover, but can still cost in the tens of thousands of dollars per transport.
A private air ambulance with dedicated life-support systems and a specialized crew is significantly more expensive. Coast-to-coast or international repatriation can exceed $100,000 depending on the aircraft size, distance and the level of care required.
Membership Overview
Explaining Fly-U-Home membership
Fly-U-Home bridges the gap between stabilization and recovery. While a traditional air ambulance handles life-threatening emergencies, Fly-U-Home supports patients who are medically stable but hospitalized far from their own doctors and support system. If you’re hospitalized more than 150 miles nautical miles from your home, Fly-U-Home arranges and covers the cost of bedside-to-bedside transport to a local hospital so you can recover where you’re most comfortable. There are no limitations on the cost of the flight.
Not every medical flight is an emergency, but that doesn't make it any less urgent. Non-emergency transport is designed for patients who require professional monitoring, specialized equipment, and/or stretcher accommodations to travel safely. Whether that means transferring to a specialized rehabilitation facility or simply returning to your hospital near home, Fly-U-Home membership eliminates those out-of-pocket costs. Membership also includes the transport of mortal remains.
What to Expect Before and During Transport
Flight physicians review the patient’s medical records to confirm stability for transport. The AirMedCare Network Fly-U-Home team coordinates bedside-to-bedside timing between the sending and receiving hospitals.
The flight medical crew meets the patient at their hospital room, performs an initial assessment, and transitions the patient to a specialized stretcher.
A ground ambulance transports the patient and the flight crew to the airport, where the patient is transferred onto the aircraft.
During the flight, the medical crew provides continuous tracking of vitals, administration of medications, oxygen, and pain management as needed.
Upon landing, a pre-arranged ambulance meets the aircraft, and the flight crew remains with the patient until they are admitted to their room at the receiving facility.
Membership Logistics
Fly-U-Home membership removes the logistical burden from the patient and their family. Coverage may include:
Medical staffing: A flight nurse, paramedic, or respiratory therapist to monitor the patient throughout transport.
Ground ambulance: Transportation from the sending hospital to the departure airport, and from the arrival airport to the receiving hospital.
Coordination: Management of all medical records transfers and airline clearances for commercial escort flights through our state-of-the-art 24-hour logistics center.
Who's Included in Membership?
AMCN’s Fly-U-Home membership is designed to protect your entire household and generally covers:
Household members: All individuals sharing a primary residence with the primary member who are named on the enrollment application.
Students: Undergraduate college students are typically covered under a parent’s membership even while temporarily living away at school.
Care facility residents: Individuals who previously resided in the household but have since moved to a permanent care facility, such as a nursing home, remain eligible for the membership.
Pre-existing conditions are accepted, and subject to terms and conditions.
Signing Up for Membership
Enrollment can be completed through any of the following methods:
Online: Visit our Apply Now page for the fastest registration.
Phone: Call our membership department at 833.819.3454 to speak with a representative.
To complete enrollment, please have the following information ready:
Primary member details: Your full name, date of birth, and primary residential address. This establishes your home location for the 150-nautical mile transport eligibility requirement.
Household information: Names and dates of birth for all household members you wish to include in your membership.
Payment method: A credit or debit card for either an annual payment or a recurring monthly plan.
Group/Track code: If you are affiliated with a partner organization, such as Farm Bureau or an employer group, have your discount code available to apply any applicable discounts.
A few more details:
Member responsibility: If your insurance company sends payment directly to you instead of the medical provider, you are required to remit that payment to AMCN in accordance with your membership terms.
Secondary payer: AMCN is always secondary to any other available coverage, including private health insurance or Medicare.
While the 2022 No Surprises Act protects patients from balance billing in emergency situations, it generally does not apply to non-emergency, hospital-to-hospital transfers. In these cases, insurance frequently declines to pay because the transport isn't considered medically necessary to save your life—it’s a transfer driven by the patient's preference to recover near home. Your membership is specifically designed to cover the costs of the transport that insurance typically leaves to the patient in these types of situations.
Service Areas & Transport Coordination
Fly-U-Home Alliance, Operators, and Medical Crews
Fly-U-Home transports are provided by AirMed International. In its 20+ years, AirMed has provided the highest level of care, with service extending to more than 250 cities across 150 countries.
Every transport is staffed by highly trained medical teams consisting of flight nurses, paramedics, and —when the patient’s condition necessitates, respiratory therapists. AirMed International owns and operates its own fleet of aircraft and provides a quality medical flight and exceptional care across the board.
AirMed International is also fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS), the European Aero-Medical Institute (EURAMI), and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). These strict accreditation standards ensure the utmost safety, covering every part of the AirMed operation from patient medical care to aircraft certifications.
Checking Eligibility and Availability
To be eligible for an AMCN Fly-U-Home transport, you must meet the following criteria:
The member must be hospitalized more than 150 nautical miles away from their primary residence, as listed on the membership form
The patient must be medically stable for transport
Continued inpatient care at the destination is required
Standard Fly-U-Home membership includes the contiguous 48 United States. Fly-U-Home International membership extends to the full United States and worldwide destinations.
Domestic Fly-U-Home coverage is not available for purchase to residents of Alaska, Hawaii, North Dakota, and West Virginia.
Support, Resources, and Terms
Contacting Customer Support
Member Services can assist with eligibility questions, enrollment support, and transport coordination. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT at 833.819.3454
You can also reach us by mail at:
AirMedCare Network
P.O. Box 948
West Plains, MO 65775
For quick answers, the online FAQ section covers many common questions about how membership works and what to expect.
Full Terms and Conditions
Fly-U-Home membership is governed by the official Terms and Conditions, which outline eligibility, coverage limitations, coordination requirements, and member responsibilities. For complete details, refer to the Terms and Conditions. In the event of any conflict between this guide and the official Terms and Conditions, the Terms and Conditions govern.