Medical air evacuations

[zzz2099]

CrowdRX "says" they are accepting memberships for medical air evacuation at Burning Man this year, 2018. Here is their web page:
https://www.crowdrx.org/burning-man-amcn-membership/

I called and spoke with a sales agent. My problem with the call was that he said "yes" to too many of my questions and couldn't give me enough background on the event to make me comfortable purchasing their service. Can someone confirm my questions:

Does CrowdRX have the right to sell medical evacuation membership for BM 2018?
Is the only air evacuation company on site going to be AirMedCare?
He said they would not cover days that Rampart was not active. What days are BM Rampart active?

Sexy Brolegues

[Savannah]

Rampart (Station 6) is open through the duration of the regular event, as well as several days before and after, but I can understand your concern. I would recommend emailing ESD directly.

https://esd.burningman.org/contact-us/

You're sharp to demand answers. I'm not sure I would feel comfortable with this either, even though the cost of a med evac is no joke.

[Token]

This is a curious ask.

Are you pinching a penny and trying to bypass CrowdRX and go with the regional provider network instead for the full year?

Yeah, it sucks CrowdRX is abusing the system and raking in the dough, but it’s the only game in town officially on the books.

Better than dying out there.

[zzz2099]

Token,

Neither. My 87 year old father is coming with me this year. At his age, he gets to travel by ambulance at least once a year and has had 3 air lifts in the past 20 years.

I guess you could say I'm "pinching pennys" by buying insurance before the event to mitigate possible costs after the event.

I'm not trying to go around CrowdRX. (And I don't understand how you say they are abusing the system... You say they are "raking in the dough;" you must know much more about their operation; please do tell! ) I just don't want to buy a membership in a service that doesn't know how the Playa Process works or whom is not officially recognized.

Sexy Brolegues

[Token]

Ah,

OK, so Rampart is the official name of the main triage area for medical services. It’s actually a field hospital of sorts.

It opens well before the main event and doesn’t close until after the event ends.

So there is that.

As for the CrowdRX business model, they insure you for just the event.

My regional providers, for example Cal-Star or PHI-Air - if I spend the annual $50 fee with them, I’m covered by any of the dozen or so companies providing air-med in NorCal/Nevada region.

With CrowdRX that $50 is for the 10 days of the BM event only.

That’s my gripe with CrowdRX. They are just brokers that manage this for BMORG.

Wasn’t like that in the past where you could just use your existing coverage that was good for the whole year.

So, we got to buy the “special” insurance just for this event.

I’m sure I’m the minority view here cuz I live in the sticks of the Sierras so I already buy air-med insurance just for every day driving to the grocery store.

And I have been known to be vexing.

[Luigi]

We have been Care Flight members for years (like Token said, 50 a year, Calstar etc) - I did ask them if they cover Burning Man and Black Rock Desert and they said yes, you will have to request that from the EMS provider on playa, but they may just transport you with their provider.

Luigi - (based out of Reno NV)

[Token]

The thing I’m not clear about is if CrowdRX insurance for BM event also covers the regular REMSA road ambulance. should you not require air-evac but regular ambulance to Reno.

[lucky420]

I won Careflight insurance for a year at the Gerlach health fair this past June. I’m pretty clumsy and while I never seem to require any ems it’s nice to know if something big happened my ass is covered if I need to be flown out

[zzz2099]

Token says his provider won't cover BM.

Luigi says his service will.

Luigi, Will you expound in your statement "you will have to request that from the EMS provider on playa", please? Are we requesting flight service? Are we requesting Calstar? Are we requesting transport "with their [BM's] provider"?

My parents just went off and purchased something similar from a company named Medical Air Services Association(MASA) for $69 membership and $39 a month; this includes air, ground, and getting all your belongings home. That now seems high for what Token and Luigi says they pay.

I'm going to call MASA to see if/how they handle BM.

Thanks so much. This is helping!

Sexy Brolegues

[Token]

Phi-air, my local county provider doesn’t do NV so my example is in hindsight a bit off.

Cal star is part of Air Med Care network and also serves my local area in NorCal

REMSA and Care Flight cover Washoe County in NV

It gets a bit hairy figuring it all out.

[spacetime]

Burning man is amazing but counting on medical airlift to attend is a whole other level. We want octogenarians but is there a reasonable cutoff for general wellness in participation at this event?

[Sham]

I won Careflight insurance for a year at the Gerlach health fair this past June. I’m pretty clumsy and while I never seem to require any ems it’s nice to know if something big happened my ass is covered if I need to be flown out

Congrats on winning a great raffle. I'm not sure if I should wish you the score of a free ride or not.

I contacted my insurance agent, and she 100% assured me that a med flight emergency evacuation was covered under my health insurance policy. Each year, a tiny number of people are transported by helicopter. Chances are it's NOT someone who has insurance. I know it's only $30 or so, but check with your insurance carrier before coughing up the money.

[unjonharley]

Whole family has Life-Flight ins. .. Cheap .. This year I am taking vacation insurance @ 165.00 .. Covers most every thing, From Medical to refund if I break down and miss the TTITD all together ..

[Ratty]

Spacetime. One of the main reasons I go is because the ticket promised that I may die. What better place? Now get off my lawn.

[lucky420]

Maybe we should have a reasonable cut off for younger douche bags that climb on things and hurt themselves...

[Elderberry]

Maybe we should have a reasonable cut off for younger douche bags that climb on things and hurt themselves...

Hahaha!

[unjonharley]

I have Life-Flight and other insurance because Burning Man prefers I die off playa .. Just being a good citizen ..

[DoctorIknow]

I got so fed up with whatever company BM was pushing a few years back....I used them twice, and twice requested a receipt for my purchase and an agreement of what service I paid for. Twice I got an email back saying that their computer can't do that and next year they could provide an invoice. Next year came and they said "next year."

My conclusion which isn't based on much, is that basically that particular service only was acting as an agent/advocate for me to get the most bang for my buck from my existing health insurance, medicare, whatever I have and "they" don't actually insure you for anything.

Is that how all the biz work?

[Ratty]

Im going to check my medicare and kaieser then if i need it, I'll spend the $50.

[Ratty]

Im waiting for a call back. Their web site claims that whatever my existing insurance pays, will be accepted as paid in full. So how much is a flight? I would first need to know this. Then how much does my insurance cover.

[TT120]

Spacetime. One of the main reasons I go is because the ticket promised that I may die. What better place? Now get off my lawn.

This! So much this...... If I get so injured that I need to be flown out, just toss me on a pile to be burned. I can think of much worse places to die.

And......"Get off my fukkin lawn!!!"