Savvy local trail users know this and purchase CalStar medivac insurance (based in Auburn) so they are never hit with these high bills.
If you would like to know more about the costs of medical flights in rural areas, a good article is in The Atlantic magazine, When the Only Ambulance Is a Helicopter.
"In rural areas far from hospitals, an emergency may mean taking a flight—but these lifesaving trips can come with a crushingly high price tag. The way the Thomsons read their insurance plan, they thought any emergency medical transportation was covered. But it turns out, the air-ambulance company was out of their network, and they got a bill for $56,000." To see the complete article, click HERE.
So, if you don't have airflight insurance as part of your regular health insurance, and you can't afford a medivac flight, the taxpayers are on the hook for you until you pay it off. Our local medical airflight insurance through CalStar is very reasonable and can be obtained at a discount through many of our trails organizations, such as Gold Country Trails Council or Loomis Basin Horsemen. CLICK HERE to see more information on CalStar California Shock Trama Air Rescue.