It is a short question that demands an elaborate answer. As the rural hospitals close at a rapid rate, air ambulances are playing a vital role in bringing patients quick access to emergency rooms. It is believed that, currently, a quarter of the population in the United States of America do not have access to medical care within an hour. It is air ambulances that fill this gap. A report reveals that 80 rural hospitals have closed in the past decade and over 700 rural hospitals, it is believed, will be closed in the next 10 years. Air ambulances are turning out to be critical services.
Time is a Factor that Air Ambulances Manage Well
A Federal rule says that air ambulances can traverse between state borders without having to worry about state regulations. This allows for seamless travel across borders without any regulatory hassles. If the states are allowed to regulate the air ambulance industry, it might so happen that traversing these now-free state borders could become lengthy or challenging to say the least.
A statistic says that over 30% of air ambulances cross borders annually. The state laws, if different from each other, might make flying the skies tricky, prompting the air ambulances to fly to another state because the regulations are less tedious. A report by American Stroke Association says that brain juries not getting treatment in time can result in fatality or poor recovery. That alone should be an argument enough in favor of Federal regulation.
It’s All About Reimbursements
The reimbursements rates by insurance companies have remained unchanged for over two decades. This puts a lot of financial stress on air ambulance service industry. Unable to get adequate cost coverage, organizations are compelled to go to the patients. Most disheartening is the fact that the patients who pay for this service are insurance holders but without adequate coverage.
