A Cautionary Tale

To the Editor:

This is a cautionary tale that relates to the recent changes in the County’s air transport services.

On November 15, 2015, I was in a one car accident, just outside Cistern going towards Muldoon. Some very nice people from Cistern stopped to help me and they called for the ambulance from La Grange. It took them about 10 minutes longer to get there or so.

Having been stabilized and suffering a severely broken arm, the EMT’s loaded me up to go to a hospital in Austin (Breckenridge). They tried to have a helicopter land where or near the wreck but it was too wet and soggy. So, they transported me to the Smithville Airport, where I was loaded into the helicopter.

Two months later I was contacted by Bonneville Collections and informed that I was in debt for $42,000 for a 22-air mile trip. No one asked me if I wanted to go in a helicopter. I never agreed to incur the charges. I was never told I was getting billed this amount. I never signed anything at all.

Google PHI Helicopter and Bonneville Collections for yourself.

Medicare will only pay $3500 last I checked.

I strongly suggest the County and citizens look into them a little closer before committing to use their services.

This is just a word of caution.