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Air‑medical provider pitches countywide membership to Jennings County commissioners
Summary
Representatives from an air‑medical provider described a countywide membership that would cover residents’ out‑of‑pocket costs for helicopter transports, noting local base locations, an estimated 80 patient flights per year and a typical pre‑insurance bill of about $40,000.
Representatives from an air‑medical provider visited a Jennings County commissioners meeting to present a countywide membership option that would cover members’ out‑of‑pocket costs for air transport.
Daniel, who said he represents PHI, introduced the presentation and handed it to Joe McMann, identified as program director for Jetlight. McMann told the board that the county sits “kind of right in the middle of three PHI aircraft,” citing bases in Seymour, Madison and Rushville, and said that the provider could offer a countywide membership that would extend coverage to residents as well as county employees.
McMann described the membership as protection against deductibles and co‑pays, saying the program “will take care of all of that” when a member is flown. He provided two concrete figures during the exchange: an approximate annual utilization of “around 80 patients a year” from the county, and a typical pre‑insurance air transport bill of “around $40,000.” McMann acknowledged those numbers were rough estimates and offered to follow up with exact counts and documentation.
Commissioners asked how billing would be handled when a patient is transported by a service other than PHI. McMann said membership benefits apply only when PHI performs the flight and that the provider cannot negotiate on behalf of a different service. He said dispatchers typically call PHI for flights in the area and described the situation where a non‑PHI service flies a patient as “very slim to none.”
A member of the public who identified a personal connection to an air transport described a recent crash in which their son was flown and said they had not been aware of any membership at the time; commissioners and other attendees praised the PHI crew’s response.
The presenters offered to supply county staff with more detailed usage statistics and contacts in other Indiana counties that have implemented countywide memberships. No formal decision was made during the meeting; the presentation ended after questions and the presenters left the room.
The commissioners did not vote on adopting a countywide membership during this session. Several commissioners asked staff to obtain the provider’s written numbers and contract terms for a future discussion.
