Helicopter evacuation from White Canyon, or: How I got 37 pieces of flair

[TheMountainRabbit]

Curious whether you have the SAR insurance through Garmin? My mom had a stroke while doing trail maintenance, and ended having to pay $30K out of pocket for air transport after insurance. It's why I carry backcounty evac insurance.

My buddy that got airlifted out to the Bridger-Teton in WY this year didn't get billed at all for the ride - but I think he lucked out and got a government helicopter, rather than a private company. (His hospital stay was another story - but that at least was on regular health insurance.)

I carry evacuation insurance as well, since it seems like a crap-shoot and I don't want to risk it.

 

[Gretchen Millward]

Curious whether you have the SAR insurance through Garmin?

I don’t, and I’ve never looked into it. It’s certainly plausible that will be a lesson learned. I will try to remember to do a financial update once things have settled.

 

[regehr]

Super appreciate frank discussion of the $$$ issues here. None of us wants to die out there, but none of us wants our family bankrupted either. It's just mind-boggling, the amount of fake money (and also real money) flying around our insane health care system.