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PHI representative pitches $75 household membership for Orange County residents and employees
Summary
PHI (Satflight/Ascension St. Vincent partnership) presented helicopter medical service coverage for Orange County and proposed county membership options: $75/year household memberships or a $65/year group rate with one- to five-year contract options; commissioners asked about backup coverage and statistics.
Daniel Griffin, identifying himself as a representative of PHI (presenting Satflight in partnership with Ascension St. Vincent), told the Orange County Council that the company maintains local bases in Seymour, Madison and Evansville and can fly patients to higher-level trauma centers when necessary. "The whole household will be covered for $75 a year. That's about six bucks a month," Griffin said while describing individual and county-group membership options that aim to eliminate out-of-pocket transport costs for members.
Griffin said PHI crews and equipment operate 24/7, that its helicopters can reach roughly 150 miles from base, and that membership covers interfacility transfers as well as scene responses. He also described a business-to-business (B2B) group option that could drop the county price to $65 per household for participating employee groups.
Commissioners pressed Griffin on practical coverage questions. When asked what happens if a PHI aircraft is unavailable, Griffin said PHI would refer callers to other local providers but that those flights would be subject to the other operator's coverage terms. On multi-year pricing, Griffin explained members can lock a rate for one, three or five years, and that larger group enrollments (100+) can generate additional price breaks.
Griffin offered to provide PHI's flight statistics and contract terms for the county attorney to review. The presentation closed with commissioners and staff asking the company to send formal contract options and data on recent flights to Orange County for further consideration. The council did not take a formal vote on a contract during the meeting.
Next steps: PHI will send pricing breakdowns, contract templates and usage statistics to county staff and the county attorney for review ahead of a future decision.
