BRIEF: STAR Flight sees higher payouts since August transport fee bump

April 03--Since tripling its fees in August, Travis County's STAR Flight helicopter program for medical transportation and other emergencies has tended to nearly double its average payment from private insurance payers, officials told the Commissioners Court during a briefing Tuesday.

STAR Flight's average payment from private insurance was about $12,656 in August 2017, when fees rose, compared to about $9,962 in that month in the previous year. By the end of the year, the average payment was about $32,000, compared with about $6,289 in December 2016.

Under STAR Flight's new fee schedule, insurance companies pay a $15,500 base rate applicable to residents and nonresidents alike and $200 per mile, up from the previous rates of $4,500 for county residents and $9,500 for non-county residents and $165 per mile. Individuals pay deductibles and co-pays according to their insurance plans.

For the full story, and to see how much the STAR Flight fees will rise this summer, visit MyStatesman.com

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