FORNEY, Texas — The Forney City Council approved entering into an agreement with CareFlite for its Caring Heart Membership Program — a $1 per month per household membership program aimed at reducing the costs of emergency and medical transportation.
FORNEY, Texas — The Forney City Council approved entering into an agreement with CareFlite for its Caring Heart Membership Program — a $1 per month per household membership program aimed at reducing the costs of emergency and medical transportation.
The program, according to CareFlite President & CEO James C. Swartz who spoke to the city council on Tuesday, will cover the portion of emergency and medical transportation not covered by insurance companies of those who are insured for such transportation. Those not insured for such transportations, will see a 50 percent reduction in transportation costs.
With the approval by council, City of Forney utility customers will begin seeing a $1 charge each month for CareFlite services which covers every member of the household with the exception of Medicaid recipients which state law prohibits. Customers can opt-out of the program by signing an opt-out form at city hall.
City of Forney residents who are on a different water system may also have the option to be billed through the program instead of completing an individual membership directly with CareFlite.
In Kaufman County, the cities of Terrell, Kaufman, Kemp, Mabank, as well as the water supply corporations of Ables Springs Water, Combine Water Supply, Country Club Estates, and Talty Water Supply are already participating in the Caring Heart Membership Program, according to Swartz.
Individuals who are already members of the program outside of a city or water supply agreement and have paid in advance can seek a pro-rated reimbursement and will not see a lapse in coverage, according to Swartz.
The program includes ground ambulance service where offered, helicopter EMS within 150 miles of DFW, and fixed-wing air ambulance services within 500 miles of DFW. Helicopter EMS coverage is also honored by San Antonio AirLIFE and Corpus Christi HALO Flight in portions of central and south Texas.
CareFlite, established in 1979, is the oldest joint-use air medical program in the United States and, according to Swartz, has the youngest fleet with $34 million recently invested in a complete helicopter fleet replacement.
CareFlite began ground operations in Kaufman County, including Forney, on March 1, 2015, after East Texas Medical Center EMS abruptly withdrew their services from the county. CareFlite was already providing air operations to Kaufman County.
Since becoming the provider in Forney, CareFlite has transported 3,546 patients by ground and 47 by helicopter.
The approved agreement begins January 1, 2017, and ends December 31, 2022, with automatic three-year renewal terms.
