FutureCare patients cough up savings for overseas treatment

FutureCare clients are forking out tens of thousands of dollars to get air evacuated off the island for emergency treatment.

Seniors have to cough up the cash before they can be flown to U.S. hospitals because the insurance scheme does not cover air ambulance.

Eloise Bell, who runs Bermuda Air Medivac, says the “oversight” is causing major problems to patients in need of emergency medical attention.

She told the Sun her company has dealt with four cases in the last six weeks when FutureCare clients had been forced to break into savings accounts or borrow from friends just so they could get air-lifted off the island.

She said: “This is a serious problem.

“Many people who have a FutureCare policy are seniors who can not afford to get group insurance.

“So far most of the people who have been affected by this problem have been able to raid savings or borrow money from friends.

“But they had no idea they would have to pay out tens of thousands of dollars before they could be taken abroad by air ambulance.

“There has been one occasion in the last few weeks when a patient simply could not afford to pay the costs of the air ambulance and hospital fees.

“That patient ended up being escorted on a commercial plane.

“That would never have been allowed if the airline was aware of the condition of the patient.”

Previously patients in need of an air ambulance with no insurance or those covered by the Hospital Insurance Plan could borrow money from the Lady Cubitt Compassionate Association.

There was a contact between the LCCA and HIP clients whereby the charity would lend money out for medical emergencies and be paid back at a later date.

But when FutureCare was introduced there was no agreement between the LCCA and FutureCare.

As a result FutureCare patients in need of emergency air evacuation have to hand over between $15,000 and $16,000 before they can be flown abroad for vital treatment.

Ms. Bell said: “I believe this is an oversight by government — they are the ones that set up this scheme.

“It is also worth noting that even before a FutureCare patient arrives in the U.S. they have to pay out even more money towards the hospital costs too.

“If you can not get the money to get an air ambulance to take you abroad then there is a chance you could die from your condition because you will not be able to get the treatment you need in Bermuda.”

Yesterday a spokeswoman from the Department of Health said that FutureCare clients had always been aware that an air ­ambulance service was not covered by their policy.

In a statement the spokesman stated: “This is and has been spelled out in every public meeting, advertisement or talk show we have been on.

“FutureCare for the millionth time is a comprehensive and not a major medical plan. The inclusion or omission of benefits impacts the cost of the premium.

“This was a deliberate omission and has been in place since the inception of the plan in April 2009 and communicated even prior to that date.

“It is also important to note that HIP does not and has never include air ambulance and many of these same individuals were in that plan.”