With so much to explore and enjoy in western South Dakota, it is no wonder the area is teaming with both visitors and new residents. However, the increase in people also brings more car accidents, more lost or injured hikers, more heart attacks and strokes, and more trauma.
When emergency strikes, the people of Pennington and Fall River Counties, as well as the surrounding areas, trust Black Hills Life Flight to come to the rescue. The program is part of Air Methods, the largest air medical service provider in the country. With bases in Rapid City and Hot Springs, Black Hills Life Flight provides both helicopter and fixed wing service, and transports patients from emergency scenes or between hospitals for specialized treatment.
Quality emergency care helps support not only the people of the region, but also the businesses who employ them. Both can benefit from excellent pre-hospital care that, in many cases, helps shorten recovery times so workers can return to good health and their daily activities as quickly as possible.
How Medical Helicopters are Requested
When 911 is called for a medical emergency, first responders determine if air service is needed and call for an aircraft. Individuals cannot request air medical transport without first calling 911, and service providers may not self-dispatch.
“Air medical care is required when a patient needs to be seen in a hospital very quickly or when the higher level of pre-hospital care air medical teams can provide is necessary,” said Darryl Crown, account executive with Air Methods. “Flight nurses and flight paramedics are highly trained and have specialized skills and equipment that may not be available in a ground ambulance. Patients should never delay care by waiting for a specific program or aircraft to arrive – the first available aircraft should be utilized for transport to the hospital as quickly as possible.”
Black Hills Life Flight has first responder status, and once dispatched, their helicopters can land at the scene of an emergency and begin administering medical care immediately. The aircraft functions like a flying intensive care unit, with best-in-class flight nurses and paramedics who carry lifesaving equipment, medications, and blood on board the aircraft to save lives and improve patient outcomes.
“There are incidents in those rural areas that may take first responders [on the ground] an extensive amount of time to respond to the scene due to the distance or road conditions,” said Lawrence County Emergency Management Director Paul Thompson. “It may well be there are times when Black Hills Life Flight is able to arrive at the scene and render medical service prior to other first responders arriving.”
Additionally, aircraft can be used to move patients from one hospital to another for higher-level care. It can be difficult to move large or complex medical gear with the patient, so Black Hills Life Flight’s clinical teams are trained to transport patients with specialized equipment. They also have extensive experience in transporting high-risk obstetric and pediatric patients. Those needing to travel a long distance or in inclement weather are transported by fixed wing airplane while those going shorter distances are typically moved by helicopter.
Understanding the Cost
“We believe that when someone suffers from a serious illness or injury, they deserve to focus on their recovery rather the bill,” said Jeffrey Loew, patient relations supervisor with Air Methods. “We do all we can to make the process as easy as possible for our patients and their families.”
When the federal No Suprises Act went into effect in January 2022, it ensured that patients wouldn’t get a surprise medical bill for any covered service. Insured patients are encouraged to review their policies and understand their deductible, co-pay, co-insurance, and maximum out-of-pocket cost. Regardless of the insurance provider, or whether it is in or out of network, patients cannot get a surprise balance bill that exceeds the limits of their policies.
Medicaid patients have no deductible at all. Commonly, Medicare beneficiaries have a Medicare Supplement (or “Medigap”) plan. There are several approved and regulated Medigap policies that cover deductibles, co-pays, and coinsurance for many medical services, including emergency air medical services. Whether insured or not, patients are encouraged to contact the Air Methods Patient Advocacy department if transported by Black Hills Life Flight. Contact information is available at airmethods.com, and patient advocates work with each individual to ensure affordability based on their own personal situation.
Air Medical Memberships Are Unnecessary
Some air medical service providers sell memberships. These memberships are similar to a form of insurance in that members pay a fee in advance to avoid a bill if they need air medical transport later. It is unnecessary to spend money on an air medical membership for several reasons.
- The odds of needing air medical transport are very slim. Only 0.0017% of the U.S. population ever requires emergency air medical service.
- Under the federal No Surprises Act, there is no need for an air medical membership since patients are only responsible for the deductible, co-pay, co-insurance, or maximum out-of-pocket cost outlined in their insurance policies.
- In an emergency, patients don’t get to choose which provider arrives. The closest available aircraft should transport the patient to the hospital as quickly as possible. Care should not be delayed by waiting for a specific provider based on a membership.
South Dakotans can rest easy knowing they are in good hands with Black Hills Life Flight. For more information on the program and the quality clinicians providing medical care on board, please visit airmethods.com.
