Life Flight Network and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana (BCBSMT) announced on Wednesday that they have reached an agreement to expand air ambulance coverage in Montana.
The announcement marks a significant milestone, greatly enhancing air medical transportation options available to BCBSMT members – particularly in southwest Montana. Through the agreement with BCBSMT, Life Flight Network will base one of its helicopter service in Bozeman for the first time.
Becoming an in-network provider means patients covered by BCBSMT will not receive a bill for covered services when transported by Life Flight Network in Montana. BCBSMT covers nearly 300,000 members in Montana.
"Montanans deserve timely access to critical health care resources, and this agreement reaffirms Life Flight Network’s commitment to the people and health care providers we serve in Montana," said Michael Griffiths, CEO for Life Flight Network. "By reaching agreement with the largest commercial health insurance provider in the state, we can now better serve the citizens of Montana."
"Bringing Life Flight Network into our provider network is a big win, not just for our members, but for all Montanans, particularly in Southwest Montana," said Dr. Monica Berner, chief medical officer and divisional senior vice president of plan operations for BCBSMT. "This will substantially reduce the chances that our members will have to worry about the financial burden of a large bill during a health crisis."
Life Flight Network has three aircraft in Montana: a helicopter based in Missoula, and a helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft based in Butte. Both locations are staffed with highly trained flight nurses, flight paramedics, and pilots who are available 24/7. The teams provide ICU-level care wherever needed, whether from the scene of an accident or while transporting patients from one hospital to another.
Life Flight Network is now the largest BCBSMT participating air ambulance provider in the state. The agreement is retroactive to April 1, 2017.