FAQ
Some Questions
People Like to Ask
Membership
Why should I become a member of PHI Cares?
While none of us ever expects to be in a situation where we need to be transported by an air ambulance, the reality is it can and does happen. Time can make all the difference during a stroke, heart attack, serious car accident, or other life-threatening trauma. The last thing you should be concerned with during such an emergency is air transportation costs. As a PHI Cares member, when transported by PHI Air Medical or one of our cooperative service partners, you will not have out-of-pocket costs for medically necessary air transports, according to the Terms and Conditions. PHI Cares works with your insurance provider and accepts the insurance payment as payment-in-full for any medically necessary transport, from one medical facility to another medical facility, or from the scene of an emergency. For more details on our program, please visit our website at https://phicares.com/
Is PHI Cares insurance?
No. Membership in the PHI Cares Program is not an insurance product. PHI Cares does not cover and will not pay or reimburse you for services performed by any other air medical transport services provider or any ground ambulance services provider. No medical exam or health questions are required to enroll. See the Terms and Conditions for full details.
How does the membership program work?
PHI Air Medical works closely with local fire departments, ground ambulances, law enforcement agencies, medical facilities, and physicians, to ensure safe, expedient, and lifesaving care for our patients. Members should always call 911 when they have a medical emergency. The 911 dispatchers are trained to gather specific information about the medical emergency from the caller and determine what type of medical transportation is best for the situation. If the 911 dispatcher determines the patient requires an air medical transport, they will request an air ambulance. PHI Air Medical specialists are on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to respond to medical emergencies. Your membership with PHI Cares will help ensure you and your qualified household dependents are covered when they are transported by PHI Air Medical. Members should always ask for PHI Air Medical when possible, especially for hospital transfer flights. We will work with your insurance provider to make sure there are no outstanding out-of-pocket costs for your emergency air medical transport.
How many people does my PHI Cares Household
Membership cover?
A household membership covers your spouse, dependents living at the same address, and up to 3 additional people living at the same address. Members are required to register all dependents and additional household members on their membership application or in the online enrollment portal.
How do I update eligible family members on my household membership plan?
Please call the Membership Department to update your membership any time you have a change in your membership household dependents. Your household membership covers your spouse, dependents living at the same address, and up to 3 additional people living at the same address. Please be sure to keep this updated to avoid any billing issues.
How long is my membership valid, and when does coverage start?
Your membership is valid for one (1) year beginning five (5) days after your completed application and your nonrefundable payment is received. In most states, we offer 1 year, 3 year and 5 year Membership plans (California is limited to a 12 month term).
How do I renew my membership?
Members will receive a renewal post card one month in advance of their expiration date. If you don’t receive your renewal notice, you can go to the PHI Cares website and renew online using your membership number or you can call our office and we can take your renewal payment over the phone with a credit card.
Transportation
What should I do if I or an eligible family member is transported by PHI Air Medical?
You should notify the Membership office if you or an eligible family member is transported by PHI Air Medical. This will help ensure you don’t receive a bill for your transport. PHI Cares works with your insurance provider and accepts the insurance payment as payment-in-full for a medically necessary transport, according to the Terms and Conditions.
If I’m flown by another air ambulance company, will my membership cover their bill?
Your PHI Cares National Membership provides benefits if PHI Air Medical or one of our cooperative service partners transports you or a qualified household member. PHI has 68 membership bases across the nation with a helicopter service range up to 200 nautical miles. Your membership does not cover charges from other service providers. For a current map of our service areas and cooperative service providers, please visit our coverage map.
Does my membership work in another state?
Yes. Membership benefits apply to medically necessary flights by PHI Air Medical or a cooperative partner, wherever those flights happen. What matters is who performs the flight, not where you live. PHI Air Medical operates 68 membership bases across the country. Enter your ZIP code on our coverage map to see whether the area you are traveling to is served.
What if the helicopter has a different name or colors on it?
PHI Air Medical operates some bases in partnership with hospitals and regional programs, and those aircraft carry the partner’s name and colors rather than PHI’s yellow and black. A medically necessary flight by a cooperative partner is covered by your membership in the same way as a flight by PHI Air Medical. Enter your ZIP code on our coverage map to see the aircraft and partner branding that serve your area.
If I’m transported by ground ambulance to the PHI aircraft, will my membership cover the cost of the ground ambulance?
Your PHI Cares membership does not cover ground ambulance charges. Members should contact their insurance companies to verify their specific benefits and out-of-pocket expense for ground ambulance transports.
Is PHI Air Medical guaranteed to be available when requested
for a transport?
We cannot guarantee a PHI Air Medical aircraft will be available whenever a member transport is requested. We operate 68 membership bases across the nation, but due to operational and safety factors including, among others, adverse weather, the aircraft is in use at the time of the request, or aircraft maintenance may prevent PHI Air Medical from responding to a request for an air medical transport, so PHI Air Medical and other air medical operators cannot guarantee they will always be available when a member transport is requested. We encourage all members to enroll in all air medical membership programs operating in their area.
Insurance
If I don’t have medical insurance, can I still sign up for the membership program?
Health insurance is not required; Please note: Medicaid members are not eligible to enroll in this program*.
I have Medicare, do I need to have a PHI Cares Membership?
Medicare does not pay 100% of your medical bills, therefore your PHI Cares membership is ideal for anyone on Medicare and/or a fixed income who might otherwise have to absorb the portion of your air medical transport bill not covered by your insurance or other third party. For just pennies per day, you can have the peace of mind in knowing you and your qualified household dependents are covered in the event of an emergency. We will work with your insurance provider to make sure there are no outstanding out-of-pocket costs for your emergency air medical transport. Medicare participants with supplemental insurance should contact their insurance provider to verify their specific benefits and out-of-pocket expense for emergency air medical transports.
I have Medicaid, do I need a membership?
No, Federal law prohibits Medicaid participants from enrolling in any air medical transport membership program.
My insurance company says they will cover 100%,
so why do I need this membership?
Most insurance companies will pay 100% of what they deem an allowable amount for air ambulance, which does not necessarily mean that the total cost of the transport will be covered. For example, even after insurance pays, you may have a remaining balance due to co-pay, deductible, co-insurance, or because your insurance’s allowable amount does not cover the total charges. Additionally, people frequently change insurance companies and plan designs. You may want to check with your individual insurance company to find out exactly how much they will cover in the case of a PHI Air Medical transport. Lastly, your insurance may decide that the flight does not fit a specific parameter covered under your policy and deny payment. Membership will cover the cost of a medically necessary flight by PHI Air Medical or a cooperative partner for you, even if your insurance does not, according to the Terms and Conditions.
Contact
What is the best way to reach the membership department?
We are available Monday through Friday from 6:00am to 4:30pm MST at 1 888 I FLY PHI (1.888.435.9744) or visit our Membership website and enroll online: https://phicares.com/
*Federal law prohibits Medicaid participants from enrolling in any air medical transport membership program.
Membership in the PHI Cares Program is not an insurance product. PHI Cares does not cover and will not pay or reimburse you for services performed by any other air medical transport services provider or any ground ambulance services provider. See the Terms and Conditions for full details.