If a medical emergency strikes far from home, what would you do?
You’re on the road or in the air, hours from home, and suddenly, an illness or accident puts you in the hospital—you are far from your family and your own doctor, having to rely on medical care from people you’ve never met before. Who can help you while you’re in the hospital – especially if you’re in another state or a foreign country? How do you get home?
At AOPA, we analyzed medical emergencies like these, and we discovered an alarming fact: Even a simple problem that might be routine at home can quickly become a major emergency in a distant town or foreign country.
With a pilot's active lifestyle, it's critical to have a solid back-up plan in place to help handle this type of emergency crisis while traveling away from home. That's why AOPA set up a package of critical medical emergency and travel assistance services to help you in your time of need. It is called Emergency Assistance Plus (EA+).
*Emergency Assistance Plus is not an insurance policy. Please call EA+ once you have been admitted to the hospital so that we can arrange and provide needed services.
EA+ has a global response center that provides 24-hour emergency and medical assistance services to more than 10 million travelers
For over 25 years, EA+ has protected travelers and provided emergency services that health insurance will not generally cover. If an emergency occurs, AOPA EA+ steps in to help with more than 20 emergency and medical services—so you can focus on your recovery and not on costs.
You even have the option of expanding your EA+ protection to include return of your aircraft if traveling via GA in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Should your aircraft be stranded due to your medical emergency, a certified pilot will be sent to your aircraft and fly it back to the airport where it is stored. For just $50 more per year, you can include this protection when you enroll in EA+ with Aircraft Return.
Emergency Medical Monitoring by an EA+ medical expert to make sure you get the appropriate care in a medical emergency.
Emergency Medical Evacuation via ground or air ambulance, if deemed medically necessary, to get you to a more appropriate medical facility quickly if your current facility can’t properly treat your medical condition.
Medical Specialist sent to you if your condition can’t be evaluated by phone and you cannot be moved and local treatment is unavailable.
Continuous Updates to a designated family member and/or a physician to keep them informed during your medical emergency.
Transfer of Insurance Information to Medical Providers to assist with admission and to ensure your medical care is not delayed or denied.
Advance Medical Payments paid directly to the hospital or physician against a valid credit card, to keep your medical care going.
Prescription Replacement Assistance if your medications are lost or stolen.
24-Hour Doctor/ER/Dentist/Attorney Locator Assistance to help you quickly find a professional no matter where you are in the world.
One Round-Trip Economy-Class Airline Ticket to bring a loved one to your bedside if you’re traveling alone and become hospitalized.
Airfare Home for Dependent Children or Grandchildren who are left unattended if you’re unable to care for them due to your hospitalization.
Emergency Message Forwarding Assistance if you are unable to reach a family member or traveling companion during an emergency.
Pet Care and Return Home Assistance if you’re traveling with a pet and cannot care for them due to an accident or illness.
Ticket Home for a Traveling Companion if EA+ evacuates you from one hospital to another, transports you home, or you pass away while traveling.
Transportation Home after hospitalization via a one-way airline ticket, arranged and provided by EA+.
Nurse Escort provided if deemed medically necessary to help ensure you get proper medical care during your trip home.
Return of Deceased Remains service to bring your body home if you pass away while traveling.
Vehicle Return if you can’t drive your vehicle back home because your documented medical condition prohibits it AND your companion can’t drive it either.
Destination Intelligence regarding weather, travel, health, inoculations, travel restrictions, and special events.
Real-time Security Intelligence in the event you feel threatened by political unrest, social instability, weather conditions, or health hazards.
Emergency Cash Transfer Assistance (against a valid credit card provided by you) if cash, credit cards, or traveler’s checks are lost or stolen.
Lost Luggage Assistance helps you track down any lost luggage, personal items or documents.
Document Replacement Assistance if important documents like your passport, driver’s license, or birth certificate are lost or stolen during your trip.
Language Interpretation Assistance to connect you with an interpreter over the phone if you’re traveling in a foreign country and require translation assistance for medical emergencies.
Assistance Making Flight Arrangements, securing visas, and with other logistics if you decide to leave a threatening situation.
Emergency Assistance Plus® (EA+®) is not insurance, it is a membership plan. This is only an outline of the plan’s features. Hospitalization (admitted as an inpatient) is a requirement to be eligible for some services. All services must be arranged and provided by EA+. Please read the EA+ Member Guide carefully to understand all the services available to you, as well as any rules and regulations. EA+ is only available to U.S. residents at this time and is not available to residents of New York. Washington state residents must be traveling more than 100 miles away from home to be eligible for EA+ services.
Click here to view full EA+ Member Guide
Click here to view full EA+ with Aircraft Return Member Guide
Plan Type | |
---|---|
Member Only | $129 |
Member Plus Family | $189 |
Member Only w/ Aircraft Return | $179 |
Member Plus Family w/ Aircraft Return | $239 |
Annual rates shown. For your convenience, you will be billed only once a year. Future payments will be handled using the credit card given during this enrollment. You may cancel at any time.
EA+ provides an important stop-gap between what your medical plan covers and emergency transportation expenses most health insurance plans NEVER pay. Should you be hospitalized due to a medical emergency while traveling away from home, EA+ will make sure you get the care you need and will arrange and pay for emergency evacuation transport if deemed necessary by our Medical Director. Emergency Assistance Plus even pays to bring a loved one to your side if you’re alone and are expected to be hospitalized for an extended time. If you’re unable to drive your vehicle or fly your aircraft* home after your medical emergency, we’ll even arrange and pay to bring it home for you.
*Note that EA+ with Aircraft Return plan must be purchased to be eligible for Aircraft Return benefit.
When you sign up for the Member Plus Family plan, you are enrolling all family members who meet the definition of dependent: your spouse (to include legally recognized domestic partner); your unmarried children from birth and through age 18; or through age 22 if enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited college, university, vocational, or technical school; and children whose support is required by a court decree. Children must be primarily dependent on you for support and maintenance and must live in a parent-child relationship with you.
No. If you are enrolled in the Member Plus Family membership, then your spouse is protected by EA+ whether or not he or she is traveling with you. The Member Plus Family membership gives your spouse access to the exact same services as you.
No, in fact it is best to use your name, as primary member, because then we can locate your files immediately to give you the fastest, most efficient service possible.
Your official EA+ Identification Card will be mailed to you in your Welcome Packet as soon as you complete your enrollment. This customized I.D. card lists the phone numbers to call in case you have a medical or travel emergency and need assistance. (You'll want to keep this I.D. card in your wallet. Most AOPA members tuck it right next to their medical plan I.D. card.)
Then if you're suddenly faced with an emergency when you're traveling away from home, just call the emergency number located on the back of your I.D. card, which is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. EA+ will immediately jump in from there. It's very important to make sure that all family members are aware that you have EA+ in the event that you are unable to communicate with medical personnel.
You don’t! Because EA+ is a membership, we arrange and provide all the services of your membership for you DURING your emergency. There are no claims for reimbursement. All services must be arranged by EA+ in order for them to be covered. Once you’ve been admitted to the hospital, just call the EA+ emergency phone number on your ID card. An EA+ assistance coordinator will immediately jump into action to provide the help you need.
The EA+ medical team will make the determination after reviewing your medical records and may consult with your treating physician, if necessary.
Yes. If you are traveling in a country that is on the OFAC-sanctioned list, you will not be protected by EA+. If you’re unsure of the status of a country you are planning to visit, call us before your trip to ensure you will be covered at your destination or you can visit our website to at www.emergencyassistanceplus.com/OFAC to view the list of OFAC-sanctioned restrictions.
With one call you can activate an essential package of support services, all vital in an emergency. Watch the video below to see what EA+ can do for you.
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NOTE: EA+ is not a first responder. If you are experiencing a medical or travel emergency, please call 911 first or local emergency responders if you are abroad. Once you have been admitted to the hospital, contact EA+ as soon as possible by calling the emergency numbers on the back of your EA+ ID card (or the numbers above) to speak to an EA+ Coordinator.