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Council ends CareFlight membership and tables replacement while reviewing MASA coverage details
Summary
After staff presented a comparison between the town's current CareFlight membership and a proposed MASA transport coverage, council unanimously moved to terminate CareFlight and table a replacement until MASA can present specifics and staff can provide additional resident outreach.
NorthlakeTown Council considered two emergency transport options on Dec. 11: continue the existing CareFlight membership (an opt‑out, low‑cost membership) or replace it with MASA (Medical Access and Service Advantage), a broader membership/benefit that covers domestic air and many ground transfers.
Staff said CareFlight's local coverage map is now limited (its Denton Municipal Airport helipad lease was not renewed) and described MASA as a coverage product with higher monthly cost but broader benefits, including ground ambulance and interfacility transfers. Staff explained the mechanics: CareFlight operated as a membership that could be renewed at a low per‑household rate; MASA was presented as a coverage/benefit with a higher opt‑out price point.
Councilors raised questions about claim caps and how MASA handles high ambulance bills versus average claim data (one councilor referenced an average air-ambulance charge cited in the MASA materials). Several asked for a MASA representative and for more community outreach to assess resident interest. A motion to terminate the CareFlight contract and table the selection of a replacement pending additional information and a MASA presentation passed unanimously.
What comes next: staff will terminate the CareFlight membership as directed, schedule a MASA presentation for council and coordinate resident outreach and vendor Q&A before bringing a final recommendation back to council.
