100+ Member Experiences

Jim & Kathie Carter

from Kansas Naperville, IL

SkyMed Member Suffers Congestive Heart Deathly Failure During Driving Trip to Alaska

We left Chicago on April 29, 2018 to go on a planned three-month driving trip to Alaska. We met most of our group in Great Falls, Montana, and then traveled on to Cochran, Alberta for four or five days. On our last day there, Kathie had been

having shortness of breath, but we were up to 3,500 feet. The next day it was worse, so we went to the local medical center. While checking her in, something happened, and she could hardly catch her breath. They called an ambulance to take her to Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary as they had already determined she had heart valves problems. She had heart problems as a child and was cleared for the trip by her doctors before we left. At the hospital, she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Her condition stabilized and she was allowed to go home if we had a medical care flight the entire way. Over the next three days SkyMed was very helpful and made sure to get a medical release for her from Foothills Medical Centre. We met the team from SkyMed in her hospital room and had all the necessary documents. We took off about 6:30 Monday evening and were back to our area and in the hospital around 2:00 am.

How did you find out about SkyMed and why did you choose SkyMed?  We’ve had our trailer since 2015 and we went to a rally in Northern Indiana. One of the vendors at the rally was SkyMed and Kathie attended their seminar where they explained how it worked. We had upgraded our trailer and wanted to retire, and Kathie thought we needed SkyMed in our back pocket. It took her a year to convince me to become a member because we usually purchased travel insurance for vacation travel, but that’s different from what SkyMed does.

What would you tell your friends about your experience with SkyMed?  We had priced medical insurance and since we both already had our physicals, there seemed to be a minimal risk to not purchasing medical insurance for our time in Canada. Once Kathie’s heart problems stabilized, the doctors would not release us to drive back to the US.  We felt alone and isolated while we tried to decide what to do. Neither Kathie nor I wanted her surgery in an unknown hospital. Adding to our feeling of isolation, our traveling group proceeded on with their trip and we were left behind. We were not aware that SkyMed would take care of the truck and trailer and we didn’t know that if it broke down, they would also bring it home for us. I was lamenting my frustration and needing to be with Kathie but needed to get our truck and trailer home too when one of the SkyMed personnel said, “We’ll take care of that for you,” which was a tremendous relief not to have to worry about that because I was so focused on Kathie. Our truck & trailer were returned home about a week later. We estimated the entire Alaska trip would be about 10K miles and we had already gone over 2400 miles, and that’s a long way from home. We told everyone in our Sunday School class of 90-100 people about our experience and some are planning to contact SkyMed about a membership. We cannot thank the SkyMed team enough for helping us through these times. Kathie is much better now, but she still has some healing to do.

Jim & Kathie Carter, SkyMed Champions

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Global Emergency Travel Services

24/7/365 world-wide response network for members travelling worldwide. Multilingual operations center that includes emergency medical evacuation to the closet appropriate facility, medical escort commercial flights, repatriation of mortal remains, return of dependent children and travel assistance services. Included in all ULTIMATE Memberships.

Home or Away Services 100 miles from home

SkyMed will pay the cost of ground ambulance services to transport Member to the closest appropriate hospital. This service requires no pre-approval and is limited to two ground services in any twelve (12) months. Included in all ULTIMATE Memberships.

SkyMed Plus

SkyMed Plus provides commercial ticketing for Members return to the origin of the air evacuation. SkyMed Plus also includes pet return, 24 hour-a-day multi-lingual help line, translation services, emergency messaging, insurance verification, travel locator service and more to enhance our SkyMed TAKES YOU HOME membership services. Included in all ULTIMATE Memberships.

Primary Driver Disability

The Primary Driver Disability Option (PDDO) increases the protection of our traditional vehicle return service. SkyMed’s PDDO will reimburse up to $2,000 for either bonded drivers or friend/ family member to return stranded vehicles. Included in all ULTIMATE Memberships.

Organ Recipient Transportation

When it is more feasible to bring the member recipient to the donor organ, SkyMed will provide air transportation for the recipient and one family member. (A nine month restriction applies to new member eligibility in Organ Transport and this service.) Individuals on transplant recipient lists at the time of application are ineligible for SkyMed Membership.

Organ Transport

Should a member require a kidney, heart, lung, liver, or pancreas transplant, SkyMed will transport the donor organ to them. Individuals on transplant recipient lists at the time of application are ineligible for SkyMed Membership.

Incidental Expense Allowence

SkyMed will pay up to $200 for incidental expenses associated with a member’s medical flight. These could include lodging, transportation, meals.

Return Transportation After Recovery

After a member has been hospitalized with a SERIOUS OR CRITICAL ILLNESS OR INJURY SkyMed will transport the member via commercial flight to his/her residence after recovery. The member has sixty (60) days from the hospital release date to implement this service.

Companion Transportation

SkyMed will arrange for a member’s spouse/companion to accompany them in flight on a private air ambulance (space permitting). Or, SkyMed will pay for a commercial flight.

Physical Remains Return

If a Member expires at home or away, SkyMed will pay ‘Airway Bill’ transport costs to move Member remains and provide round trip transportation for Member’s spouse or companion to accompany. In the event ground transportation of remains is required SkyMed will reimburse up to $500.

Minor Children / Grandchildren Return

If because of a critical illness or injury, a member’s minor children, grandchildren and even great grandchildren are left stranded, SkyMed will pay for a regularly scheduled airline flight and transportation for one adult escort if required. Grand and greatgrandchildren under the age of 18 are eligible for all member services when travelling with grandparents.

Transportation for Recuperation Nearer Home

After a member has been hospitalized with a SERIOUS OR CRITICAL ILLNESS OR INJURY SkyMed will transport the member to a rehab facility near the members transport preference .

Visitor Transportation

If a member is hospitalized with a serious illness or injury, SkyMed will pay for a round trip commercial air ticket for a family member or companion to visit. This service will be provided AS SOON AS our Member is hospitalized.

Helicopter Transport

SkyMed will cover the cost of all medically necessary helicopter transports or hospital-to hospital transports. Medically necessary helicopter transports because of an accident or serious illness require no pre-approval from SkyMed. Included in all ULTIMATE Memberships.

Vehicle RV, Auto, Motorcycle and Vessel Return

SkyMed will pay professional drivers for over-land, safe return of operable vehicles (autos, RVs, tow vehicles, trucks) that have been left unattended because of a member’s serious illness or injury. For vessel return SkyMed will provide up to $500 per day for a maximum of 10 days to return a vessel to its home marina. For motorcycle return SkyMed will professionally crate and transport both road worthy and damaged vehicles to your home or a repair shop near your home.

Commercial Carrier Medical Escort Flights

If a member’s condition does not require a private air ambulance, yet the member is not able or permitted to travel alone by commercial carrier, SkyMed will arrange, and pay for medical escort

Ground Ambulance Service

SkyMed will pay the cost of ground ambulance services to transport Member to the closest appropriate hospital. This service requires no pre-approval and is limited to two ground services in any twelve (12) months. Included in all ULTIMATE Memberships.

Hospital-to-Hospital Emergency Air Transport

By Choice of the Member means EVEN if you can be treated in the emergency facility you are in, SkyMed will Take You Home if you choose. SkyMed will arrange and pay for medically equipped air ambulance transportation by fixed-wing aircraft, to the hospital nearest your US or Canadian home when a serious illness or injury occurs. Ground ambulance to and from each hospital is included
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