Tenn. city will use taxpayer dollars to pay air ambulance bills for residents

The city council of Cleveland, Tenn., has approved a program that would use taxpayer dollars to pay transport costs for injured city residents flown by Life Force to ErlangerHospital in Chattanooga, Tenn., reports WTVC News.

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As part of the program, the city reached an agreement with AirMedCare Network, which owns Life Force, to pay the company an annual service fee of $132,000, according to the article.

Those eligible for the program must live within Cleveland city limits and must be picked up by Life Force within BradleyCounty. To receive full coverage, patients must be transported to either ErlangerHospital or the JMSBurn Center in Augusta, Tenn.

For insured residents, the city will cover any outstanding charges after the insurance payment. Life Force will charge uninsured patients the significantly reduced Medicare rate.

The program is effective immediately.

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