Will Medicare pay for 1,200 mile medical transport?

Normally, Medicare Part B will cover all emergency transportation to the nearest hospital. The case you're describing is a non-emergency transportation. This is a difficult issue and requires a doctor's order indicating why a non-emergency transportation is necessary. A non-emergency transportation of 1200 miles might be hard to get approved. However, you should explain and request an authorization directly from Medicare, before making any transportation arrangements. Do not accept what the ambulance company might tell you. You could get stuck with the entire bill.

DHalpern, I'm sorry to read about this situation.  It must be frustrating to experience this so far from home.

When you call Medicare:

1.   Call in the morning at Medicare's opening hours, so you're in line hopefully right away.  I think they open at 8 am but I'm not sure.

2.   Be sure to raise the issue that this IS an emergency situation, 1200 miles from home, and presumably would be so considered as an emergency.  That may help in determining how to get your LO back home safely.

Good luck on finding a good solution.

Almost certainly they will not, but I would go directly to the horse's mouth in this instance. Their number is 1-800-medicare and expect a long wait. Once you get them (1-2 hours laters) they are very helpful.