AirWaves and GroundRules

If you're gonna do something, do it right. That's kind of how we feel about our business here at Air Ambulance Card. So, it's nice when someone recognizes our efforts. The Better Business Bureau gives Air Ambulance Card an A+ Rating.

Here's what the BBB has to say about its rating scale:

"BBB assigns grades from A to F with pluses and minuses. A+ is the highest grade and F is the lowest. The grade represents BBB’s degree of confidence that the business is operating in a trustworthy manner and will make a good faith effort to resolve any customer concerns."

What we're most proud of in all this is that Better Business Bureau has recorded zero complaints in the past 36 months (in fact, zero complaints ever) from our clients or anyone else. (Repeat, zero, zilch, nada, niente.)

That speaks highly to our role as problem solvers for our members. When they find themselves in a hospital, whether in a foreign land or a few states away, we want them to know all they have to do is pick up the phone and call. We'll take it from there and get them home to the hospital of their choice... no claims to file, no hoops to jump through.

Is your travel service provider accredited? Check them out at www.BBB.org.

Labels: a+, accreditation, air ambulance, air ambulance card, bbb, better business bureau, medevac, medical evacuation, travel insurance

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In the last 30 days, there have been 11 reported cases of African Swine Fever. Where, you ask? If you guessed Africa, you'd only be partially correct. Turns out there's also been an outbreak of ASF in Russia, most likely entering from the Georgian port city of Poti. How on Earth would I know this? HealthMap.org.

This is one of the coolest (and most frightening) websites I have ever run across. The International Society for Infectious Diseases maintains the site. (Does it worry you that it is the Society FOR Infectious Diseases? Sounds like a front company for a Bond villain.) Click on Dengue Fever (my favorite of the mosquito-borne illnesses), they'll show you 22 spots on the globe where 36 cases have been reported in the past 30 days. Now, none of those were in the US. And if you put those numbers in perspective against the total world population (about 6.7 Billion people) it doesn't seem so scary. Turns out our risk of contracting is, like, zilch.

However, if you were planning a trip to Panama for a mission trip, wouldn't you want to know about the recent case of Hantavirus? Going to Laos? Beware the Anthrax-infected goats.

I certainly hope this site won't scare anyone off an exciting international adventure... but it's nice to be armed with knowledge. And, of course, doesn't hurt to be armed with your Air Ambulance Card. If you wind up in Zambia with a roaring case of Lassa Fever (you'll know from the diarrhea and the morbiliform rash on your face and trunk), do you want to be flown to South Africa for treatment, or home to your own doctor and hospital?

Labels: african swine fever, air ambulance card, anthrax, dengue fever, hantavirus, healthmap.org, international society for infectious diseases, laos, lassa fever, panama, poti, russia, south africa

Air Ambulance Card President Sam Jackson is traveling in China this week. Sam is a bit of neat freak, and loves to be prepared. He shares some of his tips for maintaining sanity (and sanitation) away from home.

I've noticed a lot of people on this trip who are obviously concerned about health care issues. Glad I am not alone. I saw a good many using instant hand sanitizer, both in small bottles and in disposable packages. Doesn't matter where you are traveling, this is a really easy thing to carry in your bag or purse so that you can both clean your hands after a meal and sanitize them. (You can usually find this in a small 2 oz size at your drug store in the travel and samples section. These are small enough to meet the TSA requirements of less than 3 ounces.) Don't forget, you have to put liquids and gels in a 1 quart clear ZipLock when you go through the security line.

I also saw several people on the long distance flights who put on surgical type masks while they slept on board the plane. Can't help but make you think about SARS, and who wants to do that when flying to China? Still, this would certainly minimize exposure to cold and flu bugs and does not take up much space when you pack.

I always pack a couple of band aids to take care of the inevitable nicks and scraps that occur on a long distance trip and a small tube of Neosporin or other triple antibiotic cream is a good idea as well.

Speaking of ZipLocks - I always put an extra in my carry-on case so that I can put all the "stuff" from my pockets into it before I have to go through the metal detector. I just put it all in the plastic bag and drop that back into my brief case so I know where it is when I am done with the "full body search." I am not kidding - I have had total knee replacements on both knees so I light up the metal detector like a roman candle! While I get the search and pat down, my carry on items are sitting on the end of the x-ray conveyor. I want to make sure that my wallet, money, watch and such are not out in plain site. The ZipLock solves that for me, plus, all that stuff is not then floating loose in the bottom of my brief case for the mad dash to the gate.

China is great. More to come...

Labels: air ambulance card, china, hand sanitizer, metal detector, neosporin, sars, ziplock

Air Ambulance Card President Sam Jackson is just back from New York - where his wife's piano quartet played Carnegie Hall. And how did he get to Carnegie Hall you ask? Online booking of a car service.
Sam used Carmel Limo - and recommends you check them out. Book online in seconds, flat rates to JFK, LaGuardia and Newark, no per person charge and the driver has your cell phone number so coordinating pick-ups is a snap.
You may also want to check with your hotel. Executive Vice-President Stan Bradley has the concierge at the Ritz book his cars, again a flat rate, no charges for fellow travelers.
Beats the shuttle I took last time I was in New York. Sure it was cheap... but going from the East Side to the West Side can take forever if you stop at EVERY HOTEL!

Labels: air ambulance, air ambulance card, airport shuttle, car service, limo service, new york

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (September 8, 2008) - Business and leisure travelers are still willing to pay more for peace of mind despite a downturn in the economy and reported slowing of growth in business travel, reports Birmingham-based medical evacuation membership program Air Ambulance Card, LLC. The company reports positive growth in both new enrollments and renewals despite national reports of slowed growth in business travel and the travel industry as a whole.

"People who travel more than once or twice a year are still keenly aware of the financial and health risks they face,'" said Stan Bradley, executive vice-president of Air Ambulance Card, LLC. "In fact, the dramatic increase in fuel prices makes the idea of paying for a medical evacuation flight out of pocket even more frightening." The cost of a recent Air Ambulance Card transport was 21% higher than a similar transport one year ago. The increase is almost entirely attributed to rising fuel costs. For several years domestic air ambulance flights have averaged about $11,000. We expect that cost to increase to nearer $14,000. International flights costing well over $100,000 are becoming common. As overwhelming to families as the cost of a medical flight is the fact that payment must be made in advance.

Air Ambulance Card® provides travelers with prepaid hospital-to-hospital air ambulance service, domestically and abroad. The membership program offers services for a period of one year to families or individuals, and under corporate accounts. Air Ambulance Card memberships are available to residents of the U.S. and Canada and cost $195 per year for individuals and $295 per year for families. For more information visit www.AirAmbulanceCard.com.

Labels: air ambulance, air ambulance card, business travel, jet fuel, medical evacuation, travel safety

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (August 21, 2008) - Travelers buy medical evacuation coverage for peace of mind and financial protection, but a study released by the US Travel Insurance Association suggests if the travelers are not aware of the fine print, they may be buying a false sense of security. The recent survey on sources of travel insurance and assistance prepared by Avalon Actuarial on behalf of the United States Travel Insurance Association found that most domestic health care plans do not cover out-of-country emergency medical transportation and the only credit card reviewed that provided medical transportation and evacuation carried a high annualfee.

"One of the first things people tell us when we explain our product is 'I think I have that with my credit card,'" said Sam Jackson, president of Air Ambulance Card, LLC, a medical evacuation membership program. "The next thing they say is, 'I already buy travel insurance.'" In fact, Jackson explains, credit card policies often include "nearest appropriate facility" and "medical necessity" clauses, meaning the company, not the patient and their doctor, decide if they will be transported home. While the USTIA study points out comprehensive travel insurance policies cover medical evacuation, Jackson suggests buyers read the fine print, as these policies often contain the same exclusions and conditions. Air Ambulance Card memberships have none of these clauses, and no pre-existing condition limitation.

Air Ambulance Card provides travelers with prepaid hospital-to-hospital air ambulance service, domestically and abroad. The membership program offers services for a period of one year to families or individuals, and under corporate accounts. Air Ambulance Card memberships are available to residents of the U.S. and Canada and cost $195 per year for individuals and $295 per year for families. For more information visit www.AirAmbulanceCard.com.

Labels: air ambulance, air ambulance card, emergency, medical evacuation, travel insurance