Not for nothing though, and not defending PE... or insurers (UHC denying air ambulance for serious MVA trauma due to "lack of pre-auth")... but most air ambulance companies have fairly cheap "membership":

Airlift NW has a $60/year membership for families that will bill your insurance, and consider what they get from insurance as payment-in-full (https://www.uwmedicine.org/airliftnw/membership). Many also have reciprocal programs in other areas.