# Cost of air ambulance / airlift / medevac



## skip o (Aug 1, 2011)

My friend was in a car accident in the US and was airlifted to a hospital that was about 300 kilometers away. He is now totally fine, but he just got a bill for $45,000 / €39,000 for the airlift alone.

Does anyone know how much emergency airlifts can cost in Spain or anywhere else in Europe? I can't find any info online.

While I have had the misfortune of having quite a few medical costs in the US and in Spain, it has caused me to develop the hobby of comparing costs between the countries whenever I can. Almost everything, from MRIs to prescriptions to emergency rooms is 4 to 10 times more expensive in the US. One common pain drug, Lyrica, is almost 100 times more expensive in US. Americans are lead to believe that high taxes in Europe cancel out the lower healthcare costs, but my experience is that it is not true. While income taxes are slightly higher for me in Spain, property taxes & healthcare are so much lower that I save money by living in Spain.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

If you're covered by the state healtcare system it's free, My friend who was unconscious with carbon monoxide poisoning was helicoptered to a military hospital where they had specialist equipment.

Otherwise your insurance would cover it, surely?


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Jumping on thread

Does the EHIC card cover this and repatriation?


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Megsmum said:


> Jumping on thread
> 
> Does the EHIC card cover this and repatriation?


Not the repatriation part - it isn't necessary for you to live and/or recover


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

I found this:

https://www.tribunasalamanca.com/no...legar-en-helicoptero-o-ambulancia-al-hospital

In which it states that according to the Boletín Oficial de Castilla y Leon, an emergency air transport to a hospital costs 4,900€.

I guess we can assume that the average distance is somewhat less than 300kms though...


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Overandout said:


> I found this:
> 
> https://www.tribunasalamanca.com/no...legar-en-helicoptero-o-ambulancia-al-hospital
> 
> ...


But that is what it costs the health service, not the patient and relates to average costs.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

baldilocks said:


> But that is what it costs the health service, not the patient and relates to average costs.


But if that's what it costs the health authority, that's what they would charge to an uninsured patient. The health authority is not a profit making entity, so they only charge out at cost.

The OP's example of the accident in the US is exactly that, a charge to the uninsured patient. The difference being (I imagine) that the US charge would include profit, and a healthy one at that.


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## Tellus (Nov 24, 2013)

In Germany emergency transports, even by plane, often are covered as add on's of credit cards.
f.i. VISA Gold incl. insurance package. Or health insurance as part of travel insurance.
Some social clubs like Johanniter, Malteser, Red Cross, ADAC etc. are providing multiple insurances by membership.
So guess that in Spain similar systems are provided.

The American health care system is difficult to compare with the European.
Many medications that are readily available in the USA must be prescribed by doctors in Europe.
f.i. Lyrica, active ingredient Pregabalin, is a prescription because it is used against neuropathic pain, epilepsy etc.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

In the local press last year, it was reported that someone who had to be airlifted from a beach which was officially closed, when he jumped off rocks into the sea - onto hidden rocks from landslides - was to be charged for the airlift. 

It didn't say how much though, iirc.

The beach was closed because of the danger from the landslides.


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## Tellus (Nov 24, 2013)

xabiachica said:


> In the local press last year, it was reported that someone who had to be airlifted from a beach which was officially closed, when he jumped off rocks into the sea - onto hidden rocks from landslides - was to be charged for the airlift.
> 
> It didn't say how much though, iirc.
> 
> The beach was closed because of the danger from the landslides.


 Gross negligence, Intent are not covered by insurances...


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Tellus said:


> Gross negligence, Intent are not covered by insurances...




And US insurers look for any reason to not pay. When working as a Manager at a psych hospital in Texas we had a Utilization Review department whose job it was to fight with insurance companies. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Tellus said:


> Gross negligence, Intent are not covered by insurances...


My point exactly.

it will depend upon WHY the airlift is needed.


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## skip o (Aug 1, 2011)

Tellus said:


> The American health care system is difficult to compare with the European.
> Many medications that are readily available in the USA must be prescribed by doctors in Europe.


Lyrica is a prescription drug in both countries. There is no good reason for it to cost 100 times more in the US. The US drug companies charge what they think they can get away with.

I don't think it is difficult to compare the two countries. I compare the cost of procedures, the cost of medications without insurance, the cost of medications with insurance, and it is always more, often many times more, expensive in the US. I suppose there is some medication or procedure that is more expensive in Spain than in the US, but I have not found it yet. 

As I frequent patient in Spain and the US, there is nothing I prefer about the US healthcare system.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

I read recently that a young man in the US died because he couldn't afford insulin for his diabetes after his insurance cover ran out. Insulin costs ten or twenty times more there than in other parts of the world. There is no restriction in the US on what pharmaceutical companies can charge.

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/h...g/news-story/e49bf150bb336fdeecb0e903580ac528


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