When You Need Emergency Medical Air Transportation
BVEF Has You Covered
Last updated 6/6/2022 at 1:09pm
The Borrego Valley Endowment Fund (BVEF), through its contract with MERCY AIR, covers emergency medical air transportation costs for year-round and seasonal residents.
You are covered even if your medical insurance plan does not include "Air Medical" coverage. Thanks to the BVEF and Mercy Air, you can have peace of mind that if an emergency arises, you will be speedily and efficiently transported to the nearest available medical center.
To be covered under BVEF's contracts with Mercy Air you must be residing in zip code 92004 at the time of transport and must be picked up from a location within San Diego County. *Temporary Resident: Any person who is residing on the day of air transport at a residence that is either owned (but not the permanent family residence) or rented (for at least one month during the year)
Features of coverage with BVEF's contract with Mercy Air:
MERCY AIR
- Mercy Air is owned by Air Methods Corporation (AMC) and claims are handled under their OMNIAdvantage membership program Note these company and product names because you may see them instead of "Mercy Air" after you are transported on a Mercy Air helicopter
- You are covered by BVEF's contract with Mercy Air even if uninsured (i.e., not enrolled in a medical plan with "Air Medical" coverage)
- You are covered up to $700 per incident and Mercy Air airfare
- You are also covered by BVEF's contract with Mercy Air when you are transported within the other geographic areas serviced by Mercy Air and its affiliate companies. Go to airmethods.com. Near the bottom of the Home page you will see Mercy Air's affiliate companies. Below that, within "Contact Us" under "Membership Inquiries" click on airmethodsadvantage@airmethods.com and email your questions about coverage by affiliate companies in other geographies where you may need coverage.
The Borrego Valley Endowment Fund mission is to harness the power of philanthropy to create enduring, community-wide benefits for the Borrego region. The BVEF-Mercy Air partnership is one example of how the BVEF makes Borrego Valley a safer and better community.
If you would like to support the BVEF in achieving its mission by donating to important projects like this or others that may be of special interest to you, please contact Jim Dion at jdionbvef@gmail.com or visit bvefund.org
Please note that the BVEF does not have a coverage contract with REACH
- REACH is owned by AirMedCare Network (AMCN). BVEF does not have an agreement with REACH.
- If REACH is dispatched for your medivac transport BVEF cannot reimburse you for being transported in their equipment.
- In an emergency situation the Borrego Springs Fire District's excellent EMR service will respond, and will consult with the - San Diego County emergency medical air transport Medical Director to assess whether your condition is serious enough to require air transport. If so, the County Dispatcher and Medical Director will decide whether Mercy Air or REACH will fly in and will determine the hospital most appropriate to receive the patient. Neither the patient/family nor the helicopter crew have a say in these decisions. The protocols are designed to identify an appropriately equipped helicopter that can reach the patient quickly and to select the nearest hospital best equipped to treat the patient's condition. Eisenhower Medical Center (Rancho Mirage) and Palomar Medical Center.
