Chances are good you’ll never need to be transported off the playa for a medical emergency, but if you have a complicated pre-existing condition or want to be prepared for the possibility, you may want to evaluate your insurance policy to understand your coverage, adjust your coverage if needed, and consider getting insurance if you don’t have it.
New for 2025
- Burning Man Project’s contracted air medical provider for 2025 does not offer membership plans. They cite the No Surprises Act of 2022 as the reasoning for this decision, which is a federal law designed to protect patients from unexpected bills from emergency transport. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services summarizes some key points from this legislation:
- Patients can no longer be billed for the difference between what their insurer pays and the total cost of the flight.
- Air ambulance providers must bill the patient’s insurance, not the patient directly.
- Patients may still owe out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles and copays.
- If an insurance company denies the claim outright (e.g., deems the flight medically unnecessary), the air medical provider may still bill the patient.
While no membership is required, we recommend reviewing your insurance policy in advance to understand your coverage for emergency medical transport.