The Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) published a new report that examines air ambulance use and payments in workers’ comp claims and helps clarify key questions about costs and access to services, particularly in remote areas.

The analysis is based on workers’ compensation claims from 32 states covering injuries through 2024 and found that while air ambulance use in workers’ comp is relatively rare overall, it is disproportionately concentrated among workers in rural areas.

Approximately 1 in 100 workers injured in rural areas with more than seven days of lost time had air ambulance services. The use of these services varied widely across states, with Texas reporting the highest rate of usage among rural workers with more than seven days of lost time at 1 in 30.

Payments for air ambulance services varied across states as well, with an average of $10,000 in Texas to over $50,000 in California. Prices overall grew 60% from 2013-2024, though the rates of payment growth varied widely across different states. Prices increased between 89-112% in this time period in California, Iowa, Indiana, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia. However, some states saw decreases in costs ranging from 13-47%, including Illinois, New Mexico, South Carolina, and Texas.

Workers with burns and other skin conditions, leg fractures, and lacerations and contusions were more likely to rely on air ambulance services than those with other injury types, suggesting that the perceived severity and urgency of these injuries contribute to the decision to use air medical transport.