Frequently Asked Questions

•  Why Guardian Flight Air Care?
•  I already have medical insurance why would I need to have Guardian Flight Air Care?
•  I have no medical insurance will Guardian Flight Air Care work for me?
•  Why would I need medevac Insurance?
•  I live in Fairbanks, why would I ever need to be medavaced?
•  I have Medicare would I still need to have Guardian Flight Air Care Insurance?
•  I have Medicaid, do I need to have Guardian Flight Air Care?
•  I live in Rural Alaska how can Guardian Flight Air Care benefit me?
•  What if Guardian Flight is unavailable to do your transport?
•  I have Critical Care Incorporated what will happen to my membership?

Guardian Flight is the premier air and ground medavac service in Alaska and the largest service that carries the CAMTS accreditation (Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems). By purchasing Guardian Flight Air Care you guarantee that you will have the best, safest, and most prompt medavac service available in case of an emergency. Guardian Flight Air Care members will not pay any out of pocket expenses for air or ground transportation provided by Guardian Flight. Seventy-five dollars is all you will pay for you and your immediate family per year.

Insurance companies only cover a portion of the cost for medical transportation. The majority of private medical insurance companies pay a percentage of the total bill leaving the patient with thousands of dollars in medical transportation bills on top of the other medical bills accrued during the hospital visit. The Guardian Flight Air Care will ensure no out of pocket expenses for medical transportation with Guardian Flight.

Yes, Guardian Flight Air Care will accept all people regardless of your current medical insurance status with the same benefits. There are no minimum requirements to purchase Guardian Flight Air Care, and you will pay the same price.

1% of the states population every year will require medavac services, and 1 out of 10 people in 10 years will be medavaced in Alaska. Medavacs on average can cost upwards of 20,000 dollars, and even the best private health insurance covers 90% of these costs which could still leave your household with a large Co-pay. This does not cover ground transportation which averages 1,000 dollars at both the pick-up and drop off locations. By having your Guardian Flight Air Care you would pay absolutely no out of pocket costs.

Fairbanks Memorial Hospital (FMH) is a quality care facility, however because of the remote location in Alaska, only so much can be provided locally. FMH is currently not able to handle interventions for critical heart attack patients. All burn associated injuries are transported directly to Harbor View Hospital in Seattle, because no burn unit currently exists in the State of Alaska. There are also no Neurological Surgeons locally available, therefore all head injuries are medavaced to a higher level of care. Guardian Flight currently averages one Medavac from FMH everyday.

Yes, Medicare has maximum allowable payouts for air medical and ground transport needs, which can leave the beneficiary with a substantial co-pay. Medicare also has the ability to deny claims which can leave the bill completely in the hands of the patient, but not with Guardian Flights Air Care. You are covered even if Medicare denies your claim.

Yes, Medicaid beneficiaries’ eligibility fluctuates based on income, depending on the time of a Medavac, Medicaid members claims can be denied due to ineligibility. With Guardian Flight Air Care you will have no out of pocket expense.

Guardian Flight is the industry standard in rural air medavac operations and with your Guardian Flight Air Care Membership the local clinic will always choose Guardian as your medavac service. We have a variety of aircraft that can land on rural runways and transfer directly to a higher level of care. Regardless of your Medical Insurance situation you will pay no out of pocket expense.

Having the largest fleet in Alaska and largest medical staff the unavailability of Guardian Flight is extremely rare. Guardian Flight will go through all lengths necessary to ensure this does not happen. However, in an unlikely situation in which Guardian Flight cannot do the medical transport due to weather or availability of aircraft and crew, the professionals at the communication center will arrange for a third party to handle the medevac. You will still pay no out of pocket expense for your medevac.

Guardian Flight will continue to honor your benefits of your CCI membership as well as offer you Guardian Flights Air Care Membership at no cost to you. When it comes time for your annual renewal, you will be given the opportunity to purchase Guardian Flight Air Care Membership, as CCI will no longer be offering the Air Medavac benefit.

Still have questions? Please contact your local representative.