How to Request & Book a Medical Flight

When you first call, the questions will be fairly simple, and you can expect questions like: 

• Who is the patient needing transfer?
• What is their general condition, and why does this patient need to be transferred?
• How old is the patient to be transferred?
• Where is the patient currently located?
• Where is the patient going?
• Do you know when the patient needs to be transferred?
• What is your relationship to the patient?
• Is the patient going closer to long-term care providers, primary care, or community?

These questions help our team understand the general needs of the patient, as well as items that help assess medical necessity (which helps assess whether or not the patient’s insurance will cover the flight). 

Medically-necessary medical flights are frequently covered by medical insurance, and Angel MedFlight has an entire team of insurance specialists who can help make sure the patient receives the benefits they are entitled to through their insurance. 

You’ll get questions like: 

• What insurance does the person needing the medical flight transfer have? 
• Can you share any details about the plan, like the plan number? 
• Who is the person who carries the insurance policy, especially if it’s the the patient themselves? What is the member ID and the date of birth for both the patient and the person who carries the insurance policy?

With this information, the Angel Med Flight team of insurance specialists will begin discussions with the insurance company about coverage and will begin submitting pre-authorizations.

That’s fine! You don’t need to know everything to give us a call - in fact, most people have some questions that are hard to answer or they might not know exactly. Once you call Angel MedFlight, we’ll begin the process of coordination and helping, so we can also help get the answers to some of these questions through our work with the patient’s case manager and medical teams. 

It’s ok for things to be a bit up in the air as well - frequently, people who call us are in the middle of finding a medical center of excellence which has a bed available and matches the patient's needs. Our team can talk you through the medical flight details regardless of how much information you have. We’re here to support you through every step.

After your phone call, our team continues to spring into action. Our team will develop a medical flight cost estimate, work on the timing options, and reach out to insurance to understand potential insurance benefits. Once we’ve completed that work, our team will call you back to discuss the medical flight options, insurance status, and other details. 

The entire exploration process is at no risk and no commitment from you. Our team can build the options, and you’re not committed to any of them until you (or your loved one) finalize which options you want. 

At that time, there will be a medical flight authorization and agreement. Our team will walk you through the authorization and agreement, as well as answer any questions you may have. Once you sign the agreement, the full medical flight execution begins. 

See more about what to expect from the entire medical flight transfer process. 

With over 35,000 completed medical flights, Angel MedFlight has the experience you can trust to safely transport you or your loved one. Our supportive team is available 24/7 to help you understand your options, your insurance, and the best path forward. Give us a call now.