The cost of long distance medical transport depends on a variety of factors, including the patients mental and physical health, equipment and personal needs, the dates of travel and the departure and arrival locations. In all scenarios, flying on a commercial airline with a flight nurse is far less expensive than using an air ambulance.
The companies that provide long distance medical transport services on commercial flights are known as non-emergency medical transport (NEMT) companies. An NEMT company makes all flight arrangements for its clients and provides an experienced flight nurse to accompany patients on their journey.
Flying Angels has years of experience in the NEMT field. The company has a staff of experienced flight coordinators and flight nurses who are certified to provide high-altitude healthcare.
Examples of Long Distance Medical Cost: Updated October 2023
While many variables factor into long distance medical transport cost, Flying Angels provides examples of cost ranges based on the typical patient and a variety of distances. It’s important to remember these represent estimates only. The cost will vary depending on other circumstances, including when you travel, the equipment you need and your current health.
Examples of medical transport cost ranges include the following.
To and From the Mid-Atlantic region to Florida ($8,000 to $9,500)
To and From the West Coast to East Coast ($8,000 to $10,000)
Hawaii ($9,000 to $11,000)
South America ($12,000 to $17,000)
Asia ($25,000 to $35,000)
For those looking for medical flights into the United States from other locations around the world, estimated costs include $10,000 to $15,000 to fly from Europe and $20,000 to $28,000 to fly from Asia.
NEMT Frequently Asked Questions
When it comes to long distance medical transport, potential clients often ask questions about what they get in the service. All the following are based on what we do at Flying Angels.
What Is NEMT?
Non-emergency medical transport involves having an experienced flight nurse travel on a commercial flight with senior patients or those with medical conditions who cannot travel on their own. NEMT is not an air ambulance, which is far more costly. But NEMT services can take patients anywhere in the world via commercial flights.
Who Uses NEMT Services?
Anyone who cannot safely travel alone can use NEMT services. This includes seniors, disabled travelers, post-operative patients and those with serious injuries. A flight nurse handles every aspect of the patient’s needs, from oxygen to ventilators, both in the airports and during the fight.
What Kind of Planes Do You Use?
Flying Angels makes all the travel arrangements for its clients, using available commercial flights. That’s a far more cost-effective way to approach long distance medical transport, as opposed to using an air ambulance.
How Quickly Can You Depart?
While not an emergency service, it’s typically possible to get patients booked on a flight within 24 to 48 hours. The earlier you can get in touch, the better for getting the best flights well in advance. NEMT and long distance medical transport offer patients the chance to travel in comfort while knowing their healthcare is in good hands and the cost is much more reasonable than other methods.
Even if they once loved to take a trip, travel can prove difficult for dementia patients. But traveling with an experienced flight nurse can make the trip much safer and more doable for those with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease or multi-infarct dementia.
Having an experienced medical professional along for the trip is important because those who must fly with memory loss, or their caretakers, may believe it’s next-to-impossible to make a trip. The senior travel assistance offered by flight nurses makes a significant difference and makes flying with dementia patients a much more realistic option.
All dementia patients can benefit from having a flight nurse on their trip. It also provides much-needed support to caregivers, who face many challenges providing care for dementia patients.
Dementia impacts people in different ways. The most common form involves age-related cognitive decline. It can start with simply forgetting names or short-term memory loss, but eventually can impact a person’s ability to handle day-to-day activities.
It also makes air travel for seniors with dementia difficult. While many dementia patients do well in the familiar surroundings of home, they experience trouble with changes in location or the pace of the day. They may become overcome with fatigue when around large groups of people and loud noises. These situations can also lead to outbursts of confusion, anxiety and fear.
Someone with experience working with dementia patients and the ability to oversee travel arrangements can make a difference.
Flight nurses are experienced medical professionals who can make the entire trip with dementia patients. In the case of Flying Angels, all flight nurses have experience working in emergency room settings and are certified for providing medical care at high altitudes. That includes managing any medications and medical equipment.
Flight nurses also help caregivers watch for signs of issues with dementia patients, including becoming verbally abusive or confused, not recognizing their own caregiver, or becoming frightened or agitated. They also can help them deal with these situations, keeping the caregiver from having to go it alone.
Flight nurses typically work with non-emergency medical transport companies like Flying Angels that provide full transportation service. That includes booking flights, working with airports and security to smooth the trip through the airport for dementia patients, and handling any ground transport needs.
For those planning the trip, it’s best to keep it to one destination rather than trying to travel to multiple places, according to caregiver.com. This will take some of the anxiety out of making the trip.
Also, the trip should be as short as possible and involve direct flights rather than having to change planes, as that procedure could prove troubling to dementia patients.
Another good idea is to take a trip to someplace familiar. If the dementia patient travels to a place they loved before the onset of the disease, there’s a better chance they will recognize their surroundings and feel more relaxed. For those who need to fly with memory loss, the burden on their caregivers is enormous. But by working with a flight nurse, they can make the trip much less burdensome. They also will have a skilled medical professional by their side to handle any issues that may arise, providing them with peace of mind.
This week on Growing Greater we learn about a team of trained medical professionals who provide non-emergency medical transport anywhere in the world on commercial airlines. Bob Bacheler is the Managing Director of the company known as Flying Angels, a more cost-effective and practical alternative to what is known as “air ambulance” services. Bob sat down with Matt Cabrey, Executive Director of Select Greater Philadelphia, a council of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia and explained how transversed his career a flight nurse and the future of Flying Angels.
Need medical transport services? Flying Angels provides an air ambulance alternative with a RN Flight Nurse, Flight Coordinator & more. Discover NEMT now!
