Air ambulances are usually helicopters or small airplanes. Medicare may cover air ambulance transport if you have an emergency and need evacuation to the hospital from an area that a ground ambulance can’t quickly reach.

Original Medicare Part B should cover an air ambulance in an emergency when a ground ambulance can’t reach an area.

If you’re a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan enrollee, you can get the same coverage as you would under Original Medicare. Some Part C plans may ask you to use in-network ambulance services for coverage.

Out-of-pocket transportation with an air ambulance is expensive. According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), one 52-mile air ambulance flight can cost between $12,000 and $25,000.

Medicare Part B should pay for 80% of this cost if you meet your deductible, which is $257 in 2025. What remains must come out of your pocket as coinsurance. You must also pay a monthly premium of $185 or higher depending on your income.

Under Part C, your copay, deductible, and premium depend on your plan. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the average monthly premium for Part C plans is around $17.00 in 2025. You still have to pay the Part B premium to get a Part C plan enrollment, but some Part C plans may cover your Part B premium.

You can sign up for a Medicare supplement plan (Medigap) to help you pay for some of your remaining out-of-pocket costs from Part B. That said, these plans have their own monthly costs, which depend on the plan, and you can’t use Medigap with Part C.

You also can consider signing up for Life Flight Network, a private air ambulance service that can help with your remaining costs after Medicare coverage kicks in. A basic air ambulance membership costs $85 per month.

Medicare Part B generally covers ground ambulances in emergencies when other means of transport are unavailable or when taking other transportation can harm your health.

Sometimes, Medicare may cover nonemergency transport with a ground ambulance with a doctor’s order. However, this coverage may be limited to a certain number of rides per week or month.