New law eliminates “balance billing” for Travis County STARFlight
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New Act Eliminates “Balance Billing” for Travis County’s STARFlight
First responders from Travis County’s STAR Flight, a public safety air rescue program, have been calling for balance accounting to be abolished for years.
Austin, Texas – A new bill removes balance billing for Travis County’s STAR Flight and other publicly funded air and ground rescue services.
Senate Bill 790 went into effect September 1. First responders from Travis County’s STAR Flight, an air rescue program for public safety, have been calling for balance accounting to be abolished for years.
“As for our flight, our constituents pay their taxes, they pay their health insurance bills – so they don’t have to see a Star Flight bill. You have already paid for this service. We will bill the appropriate amount, but our goal is not to have our patients. Our rescue victims see every bill from us. That’s our intention, “said Eric Ullman, STAR Flight’s Chief Clinical Supervisor.
He added, “It made us feel like we were selling something rather than treating patients. And that’s not what I got into this business for.”
According to Ullman, the average STAR Flight medical air transportation bill is about $ 17,000. While medical aviation in the private sector averages about $ 47,000.
“We were sent to a couple of scenes where we arrive and the patients … they can barely breathe or … they bleed or something like that being flown in the helicopter.”, Said flight medic Patrick Brennan. He added: “They are unfortunately lying on their deathbed or something, they see a helicopter land and they see a flight crew jump into the back of an ambulance. And they just think about it, you know, “if I can get through this … it will ruin me or it will ruin my family.”
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