Appling County approves $70,000 AirMed membership renewal to secure reduced rates for residents
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Summary
The commission voted to renew a municipal‑site agreement with AirMed (AirMedCare) at an annual county cost of $70,000 to secure discounted emergency flight rates for county residents; commissioners discussed limits of the coverage and urged public outreach so residents know how to purchase optional supplemental coverage.
County staff recommended renewing the municipal AirMed membership the county has purchased in prior years. The agreement requires a county payment (staff cited $70,000 for the annual municipal plan) so residents registering with a county address can obtain reduced membership rates.
County Manager Reid Lovett told commissioners: "We're buying the discount rate for our citizens. I think it'll save each household about $44," and said the county rate triggers the reduced plan when a registrant's address is in Appling County. Commissioners stressed this is not "free air evacuation" for uninsured residents: one commissioner recounted a private air evacuation bill in the tens of thousands of dollars and reminded residents they should purchase the supplemental individual plan that eliminates billing risk in many cases.
After discussion of coverage details and public outreach, a commissioner moved to renew the AirMed municipal agreement and the board voted in favor.
Why this matters: renewing the county plan provides discounted membership pricing for households and reduces the out‑of‑pocket risk for some residents who might otherwise face substantial air‑ambulance bills; commissioners asked staff to publicize the program and how residents can buy supplemental coverage.