American Alpine Club AAC Benefits , rescue, medical

The AAC has various member levels. Depending on level, members may get:

$7,500 rescue benefit

• $5,000 in medical expense coverage

• Rescue expense reimbursement process

• Upgrade for $300K rescue benefit.

For people that have used any of those benefits, which did you use and what did it cover? Heli, airplane? Sherpas? Commandos? Surgery?

Used in the USA or abroad?
how long did it take the get reimbursed?

Did the policy work and pay as well as other web advertised “global evacuation rescue “ policies?

Do you have to pay the $5,000- $300,000 on a credit card (up to your card limit) and fight to get reimbursed?

How long did it take to get paid if you got paid?

I can read the legalese fine print. Like any insurance the policy may not actually pay out what the contract states. 

Thanks!

I didn’t/don’t have the AAC rescue benefit, but I just wanted to make a comment on how much a rescue can cost, as it’s not something that most people have experience with. In 2019 I had an accident at the base of El Cap, YOSAR responded and brought me down to the meadow, and then a helicopter took me to the Modesto hospital (I was fortunate to receive great care at all stages of this rescue). I was billed ~$1000 for the YOSAR portion and ~$70,000 for the air ambulance. The takeaway is that if you are interested in a policy that would cover something like a helicopter evacuation, the $7,500 policy is not adequate, and you should really consider either getting a higher coverage limit from the AAC or elsewhere.

(As a side note, I was also billed something like $130,000 for a two-night hospital stay, though my health insurance company ended up negotiating this down and paying out considerably less. But it does illustrate that the $5,000 in medical coverage also doesn’t go very far, at least in the US)

The Rescue Insurance is a nice benefit and the enhanced policy may be a good idea. But, these were not a factor in my support the AAC, just a perk I hope not to have to use.

Norman Pelak wrote:

I didn’t/don’t have the AAC rescue benefit, but I just wanted to make a comment on how much a rescue can cost, as it’s not something that most people have experience with. In 2019 I had an accident at the base of El Cap, YOSAR responded and brought me down to the meadow, and then a helicopter took me to the Modesto hospital (I was fortunate to receive great care at all stages of this rescue). I was billed ~$1000 for the YOSAR portion and ~$70,000 for the air ambulance. The takeaway is that if you are interested in a policy that would cover something like a helicopter evacuation, the $7,500 policy is not adequate, and you should really consider either getting a higher coverage limit from the AAC or elsewhere.

(As a side note, I was also billed something like $130,000 for a two-night hospital stay, though my health insurance company ended up negotiating this down and paying out considerably less. But it does illustrate that the $5,000 in medical coverage also doesn’t go very far, at least in the US)

Did your health insurance pay for the air ambulance?

Will Myers wrote:

Did your health insurance pay for the air ambulance?

Typically it will not. I don’t know for his case, but most health insurance have an entirely different policy for helicopter rescue insurance. 

Will Myers wrote:

Did your health insurance pay for the air ambulance?

It did, fortunately. I don’t have a sense of how standard it is, though my insurance from my current job (different from the one I had in 2019) also covers it. Definitely something worth looking into when considering rescue insurance, though

Will Myers wrote: Did your health insurance pay for the air ambulance?

Norman Pelak wrote:
It did, fortunately. I don’t have a sense of how standard it is, though my insurance from my current job (different from the one I had in 2019) also covers it.

If you have employer-provided health insurance, and it's a medical emergency, then under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) your plan is required to cover air ambulance transport and ground ambulance transport.

Also, since Jan 1, 2022, there are new restrictions on "surprise" medical billing (sometimes politely called "balance billing"). As Norman discovered, there used to be huge discrepancies between what air ambulance companies would charge and what insurers would reimburse. Previously, air ambulance companies would bill patients for the difference – which in Norman's case was $70k. Under the 2021 "No Surprises" Act, this is no longer allowed. Now, air ambulance companies and insurance companies have to resolve these differences themselves.

For more information, see https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises/Ending-Surprise-Medical-Bills.

Paramedic working on a helicopter here, the bill varies a ton based on miles transported and whether the helicopter transport company is a non-profit, government owned, or for-profit service. Your health insurance provider will evaluate the claim and may refuse to pay if they don’t consider it medically necessary (and it’s a business major not a physician making that decision). So “rescue” is usually pretty cheap as it’s paid for by tax dollars in the US, but as soon as you get to the ambulance/helicopter the bill starts racking up. Just doing my part to clear up confusion, obviously don’t take this as advice to avoid an ambulance or helicopter ride when you’re sick/injured.

In AK, the air medevac can be over $100K. My overall cost was probably $260K for the top line number.  The SAR rescue portion which AAC had offered to cover, actually was a 'no charge' anyway.  Medical insurance covered everything except the deducts. My out of pocket was about $10k. The medevac was covered by health ins, the deductible not covered by health insurance was covered by the medevac's supplemental policy, which anyone should get if they go to remote AK, just make sure you know which service covers the area. Guardian Flight had my area, solid people too, which I think costs about $150/year, and has adders family members if you list them.

I was a dead man with a broken neck (bad snowmachine accident in winter storm), so lucky had people to get me out to begin with. Outside of the NP system, AK SAR is State/AK Troopers which coordinates to local/borough resources. Which is a little different than Colorado, which coordinates through each county sheriff to the SAR teams directly under them.  Anyway, no charge for the rescue itself if you're not breaking the law or intoxicated, but the health costs and transports make health insurance a necessity.

Back to the original post. I had contacted the AAC, they were willing to step in and help if needed with policy costs, it's just that in my case, there was no charge for the actual rescue itself, and my health insurance/medevac rider covered everything else. Which I owe my life to several Inupiaq tribal members and their kids that stepped up and did the right thing, for nothing expected in return. (their gas and equipment were all reimbursed by the state system, similar to Colorado and what CORSAR does). I'd still seriously consider taking the AAC regardless as a member. The AAC was very supportive of me going out into wilderness and offered several resources if I needed administrative help.

Also to add, from the post above -- the potential for "balance billing" was a real concern and scared the shit out of me. But in my case, it all worked out and I did not get hammered by cost recovery process after the fact.

Martin le Roux wrote:

If you have employer-provided health insurance, and it's a medical emergency, then under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) your plan is required to cover air ambulance transport and ground ambulance transport.

Also, since Jan 1, 2022, there are new restrictions on "surprise" medical billing (sometimes politely called "balance billing"). As Norman discovered, there used to be huge discrepancies between what air ambulance companies would charge and what insurers would reimburse. Previously, air ambulance companies would bill patients for the difference – which in Norman's case was $70k. Under the 2021 "No Surprises" Act, this is no longer allowed. Now, air ambulance companies and insurance companies have to resolve these differences themselves.

For more information, see https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises/Ending-Surprise-Medical-Bills.

Interesting, I didn’t realize that it was a requirement under the ACA. Thanks Obama!

Though to be clear, my insurance did end up covering the $70k, so it wasn’t a balance billing situation—though receiving a bill in that amount did induce some mild panic :)

I get extended medical for travel insurance, which covers rock climbing accidents. The policy has a maximum of 10 million dollars in emergency medical. I think the policy cost me like $350 for a year.

There are additional coverages for air travel/emergency air evacuation, lost baggage, trip cancellation.

I was in a Yosemite accident that required an airlift to the Modesto Hospital.

1) I had AAC insurance and did not receive a penny. They stopped responding to me and I gave up. Note, that this was with their older provider.
2) Yosemite Bill ~$1,000 to cover their costs. Air Ambulance ~$55,000.
3) My insurance covered the Yosemite Bill via reimbursement and eventually paid all but $3,000 (my deductible) for the Air Ambulance.

From my understanding, most Air Ambulances are all out-of-network.  With my insurance they covered it based on a few criteria, 1) Life or Death Situation, and 2) A vehicle ambulance would be slower.  If they deemed a vehicle ambulance to be just as fast or faster than an air ambulance, then allegedly they would not cover it.

IIRC, Air Ambulances are considered cargo transport at the federal level (or something like that) and don't fall under medical which makes it most likely out-of-network.

You can get Air Ambulance insurance.  It's cheap.  However, if you've messed yourself up you probably have little say in who to call and it only covers you if that specific company is called.

I have never heard of someone having to pay a SAR team before? (Air ambulance is very different but for the "getting you to the parking lot" portion) Any intel on why YOSAR seems to be different? I had always heard that NPS in particular had free rescues. Anyone have stories of SAR charging them elsewhere? Isn't SAR whole argument that if they charge people won't call them and then they may have to do a recovery instead of a rescue? 

Pat Marrinan wrote:

I have never heard of someone having to pay a SAR team before? (Air ambulance is very different but for the "getting you to the parking lot" portion) Any intel on why YOSAR seems to be different? I had always heard that NPS in particular had free rescues. Anyone have stories of SAR charging them elsewhere? Isn't SAR whole argument that if they charge people won't call them and then they may have to do a recovery instead of a rescue? 

This is my understanding based on my situation...  YMMV

I had a similar question and called the park. They explained that this bill covered YOSAR expenses. I do not believe there was any aspect in which they made a profit. I was more than happy to pay even if my insurance had not (FWIW, I've since then made additional donations to YOSAR)

YOSAR outsources trips to the hospital. I guess that they probably only have one helicopter and need to keep it close to the valley in case other gumbies get injured.
--
That said, I don't think I've heard of anyone having to pay for a rescue at Tahquitz or Mt. Whitney...  so idk.

Based on my (also limited) understanding, you often don’t have to pay for SAR (though see the below nytimes article from a few years ago about states passing laws to recoup costs for negligent rescuees—so not exactly the situation we’re talking about here):

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/06/us/rescue-hikers-cost.html

But I agree Gumby King—I certainly don’t begrudge YOSAR what they charged! I suspect it has to do with YOSAR being more professionalized than most other SAR teams in the US, but I am sure there is someone on MP that could tell us more. Somehow I neglected to ask about their funding model immediately post-TBI while they were carrying me down to the meadow :)

Pat Marrinan wrote:

I have never heard of someone having to pay a SAR team before? (Air ambulance is very different but for the "getting you to the parking lot" portion) Any intel on why YOSAR seems to be different? I had always heard that NPS in particular had free rescues. Anyone have stories of SAR charging them elsewhere? Isn't SAR whole argument that if they charge people won't call them and then they may have to do a recovery instead of a rescue? 

I am part of a SAR team in a busy region of Colorado. To my knowledge, in 75+ years, our team has never charged anyone for a rescue. However, any ambulance service (ground or air/helicopter) can be charged. If you get an air-ambulance you will likely be billed. If you get the National Guard Helicopter, you as a taxpayer are charged, but it won't come out of your pocket directly.

Other SAR teams based on state/county and have different rules and some can use discretion to bill the individual based on their determination of Negligence.

Additionally, with regards to AAC and other rescue insurance, there are directions on how to activate and utilize those resources. You must contact the Global operations Center of your insurance partner ASAP/During the rescue. 

For AAC, they use Redpoint.  So store that number in your cell, write it on your med kit, link it to your inreach.  Per the small print, you also need to list them as an emergency contact, so if you push the SOS on your Inreach they are notified immediatley.

Here are instructions for those that have not yet done this:

https://aac-membership.s3.amazonaws.com/web_assets/pdf/Redpoint_Garmin_inReach_Quick_Sheet.pdf