Does health insurance cover air ambulance services?

Sometimes, but not always in full. Coverage varies widely by plan. Some plans fully cover air ambulance transport, some cover part, and some do not, and the amount often depends on medical necessity, network status, and your policy terms.

Does Medicare cover air ambulance transport?

Medicare does cover medically necessary air ambulance services, but without a Medicare Supplement plan you may be left with a 20 percent copay of the allowed amount.

Why might an air ambulance flight not be fully covered?

Common reasons include a plan that only partially covers air transport, a disagreement between the insurer and the ordering physician over medical necessity, out-of-network questions, and deductibles or copays in your policy. Non-emergency flights are rarely covered.

What is the difference between emergency and non-emergency air transport for coverage?

Insurance is more likely to cover emergency transport, while non-emergency medical flights are rarely covered.

How does PHI Cares help with air ambulance costs?

PHI Cares is a membership, not insurance, that works with your existing plan. When PHI Air Medical or a cooperative partner performs a medically necessary transport for a member, PHI accepts what the insurance company owes as payment in full and waives your copays, coinsurance, and deductibles, so you have zero out-of-pocket cost for that flight.

SERVING HAPPY, HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

News, Resources, Tips, and Financial Security with PHI Cares Membership

PHI Air Medical helicopter in flight in PHI yellow and black air medical aircraft livery.

Featured

October 28, 2026

Why Isn’t the Helicopter Yellow? Understanding Air Medical Aircraft Livery

Among the most common questions we receive from members is a simple one: if a PHI Air Medical aircraft is dispatched for me, will it carry the PHI name? Not always. PHI Air Medical operates 71 membership bases across 14 states. Many of those aircraft carry PHI’s own yellow and...

HIGHLIGHTS

Why Yellow is an Excellent Choice for Emergency Medical Helicopters

Understanding the PHI Air Medical Coverage Map

What is a Medevac Flight?

Are Air Ambulance Services Covered by Health Insurance?

October 28, 2026

Why Isn’t the Helicopter Yellow? Understanding Air Medical Aircraft Livery

PHI Air Medical helicopter in flight, the aircraft type that responds across the membership base network.

October 21, 2026

Does Your Membership Work in Another State? The 71-Base PHI Air Medical Network, State by State

Does my membership work in another state? It is one of the most common questions we get, and it usually arrives right before a trip. A family is heading to see relatives two states over, or a retiree is driving south for the winter, and someone wants to know whether...

Bystander performing hands-only CPR chest compressions on an adult.

September 29, 2026

Hands-Only CPR: How Ordinary Bystanders Change Cardiac Arrest Outcomes

Medically reviewed by James "Trae" Bane, BSN, CFRN, CMTE, Director of Clinical Standards, PHI Air Medical. Last reviewed September 29, 2026. Hands-only CPR is the simplest emergency skill most adults can learn. September 29 is World Heart Day, which makes this month a good deadline to finally learn it. The...

Hunter in camouflage climbing a tree with a full-body harness tethered to the trunk.

September 25, 2026

Tree Stand Safety: The Hunting Habit That Prevents the Most Serious Injuries

Tree stand safety is the single most important conversation to have before opening day. Season dates differ from state to state, but the preparation happens on roughly the same schedule everywhere. Stands go up, cameras go out, and hunters start climbing. Falls from elevated stands remain the leading cause of...