When it comes to communities funding air ambulance services, United Kingdom leads the way, and there is no doubt about it. It is the involvement of the locals that makes it happen. People are known to undertake several community efforts, no matter how small, to keep the medical flights funded. From marathons to selling cookies, people contribute in their own way through innovative fund-raising efforts. The question that such undertakings raise is this: does this method work across the board? The answer to this simple question, however, is quite complex and the success is dependent on several factors. Let’s take a look at some of them.
The Absence of Significant Private Air Ambulance Companies
In a country like the United States, there are several private players who do an exemplary job to provide air ambulance coverage. They span a wide network of rural areas with zero compromise on quality of transport. The problem, however, is the price that they charge. In the absence of adequate insurance coverage, they can turn out to be a huge challenge to pay off. Of course, there is the issue of network coverage and surprise billing that has got the country concerned lately. This is the prime factor that is pushing people to look at alternate means of funding air ambulance services.
Community Funding is Not Always Successful
The estimated cost of keeping air ambulance services floating runs over a million dollars. Even the most successful charitable medical flight services do not rely solely on community funding to satisfy this need. Governments and corporate organizations play an active role in their funding. Moreover, prominent personalities are known to raise awareness and extend support to raise awareness about the services. In the United States, however, such an ecosystem is completely missing. Unless there is a concerted effort to get it in, such efforts are bound to fail.
