Empire contracted Air Ambulance providers

As of December 1, 2020, the providers listed below are participating air ambulance providers with Empire BlueCross BlueShield (“Empire”).  That means, for members picked up in New York, these participating providers have contractually agreed to accept the Empire rate as payment in full for approved and medically necessary transport and will bill those members for cost-shares only.

 

Some air ambulance providers choose not to participate with Empire. 

• These air ambulance providers may, and often do, charge members rates that are significantly higher than the Empire contracted provider rates.
• These non-contracted air ambulance providers, attempt to collect from Empire members the difference between Empire’s allowed amount and their costly billed amount.

 

To help Empire members avoid the high costs of air transportation from non-contracted providers, we ask that, whenever possible, you choose a participating air ambulance provider for your patients who are Empire members. 

 

Utilizing participating providers:  

• Protects the member from balance billing for what may be excessive amounts,
• Assures the most economical use of the member’s benefits, and
• Is consistent with your contractual obligations to refer to in-network providers where available.

 

To schedule fixed wing or rotary wing air ambulance services, please

1. Contact Empire for precertification for all non-emergent transports, using the number on the back of the member’s ID card, then
2. Call one of the phone numbers listed below.

 

Please have the following information ready when you call one of the contracted air ambulance providers

• Basic medical information about the patient, including the patient’s name and date of birth or age.  If the service was not precertified with Empire, the air ambulance provider will also need to receive a full medical report from the attending facility.
• Current location of the patient, the name of the hospital or facility caring for the patient and its address (city and state).
• Location where patient is to be transported, including the name of the destination hospital/facility and address.
• Approximate transport date or timeframe.
• Special equipment or care needs.

 

Should you have questions regarding the air ambulance network, including providers contracted for air ambulance pickups outside of New York please contact your Provider Network Manager

 

First, call Empire for precertification if required by the member’s policy.  Then call one of the following: 

 

Fixed Wing (Airplane) Providers (HCPCS CODES: A0430 & A0435)

Provider Name	Phone#	Location Address	Web site
AeroCare Medical Transport Systems	630-466-0800	43W 752 Hwy 30 Sugar Gove IL 60554	www.aerocare.com
Air Med International	877-288-5340	950 22nd St. Ste 800 Birmingham AL 35203	www.airmed.com
Center for Emergency Medicine of Western PA DBA Stat MedEvac	416-460-3000	10 Alleghany County Airport, West Mifflin, PA 15122	www.upmc.edu

 

Rotary Wing (Helicopter) Providers (HCPCS CODES: A0431 & A0436)

Provider Name	Phone#	Location Address	Web site
Air Methods (Rocky Mountain/LifeNet	909-915-2305	7211 South Peoria, Englewood, CO 80112-4133	www.airmethods.com
Center for Emergency Medicine of Western PA DBA Stat MedEvac	416-460-3000	10 Alleghany County Airport, West Mifflin, PA 15122	www.upmc.edu
Med Trans Corp	888-807-9189	220 Westcourt Rd. Denton TX  76207	www.med-trans.net

 

To arrange air transport originating outside of the U.S., U.S. Virgin Island and Puerto Rico, call 1-800-810-BLUE for BCBS for Global Core formerly BlueCard Worldwide.

 

811-1220-PN-NY