Morgane Jonnier Injured at NZ MTB Rally [Update from Morgane on Her Injuries]

 Pretty sure someone just brain farted while typing - un hélitreuillage can only be translated as a "heli lift" really.

 Ahhh yes, the ubiquitous bewildering Frenglish translation. I worked for a French company for several years and the key is to never immediately overreact to a Frenglish statement, email, or translation, and wait to decipher the true meaning — especially when some big wig corporate dude texts you things like, “I will massage you tonight when I return to the hôtel.” Fortunately it turned out to just be an email.

 Oh dear, that is one of the funnier Google Translate mistakes. I've edited now!

 Climate change // helicopter houra!!!!

 Never heard about this Japanese guy who survived to the Hiroshima's bombing and then decided to go to Nagazaki to take shelter before what you know?

 I had a less "expensive" injury, back in February I broke my collarbone in 3 pieces and had to do a surgery to put a plate. I have been rescued by a helicopter. I didn't pay for the helicopter, the medics and the xrays. The price of the surgery was over the cap of the social security (depends of the rates of the surgeon), so I had to advance 500€ (on 1875€ in total) but I then got refunded by my companys mutual insurance (I pay like 35€/month, it's directly deducted from the salary). I don't know if the mountain rescue with an helicopter is free too in other european countries.

I guess athletes have special insurances that cover those expenses in foreign countries.

Did you pay 5000$ or was that the total cost ?

 If it's an accident in NZ, then our ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation) will cover medical costs. An ambulance might run you $800 NZD, but I don't know about the helicopter ride if you needed one of those. It's still recommended to have travel insurance to cover the ambo / chopper. Hospitals may charge you for miscellaneous items, but it's nothing like the value you'd be charged in USA.

 An a non-kiwi (like myself) you will probably find this hard to believe, but here in NZ, for any genuine accident (no matter how it was caused - be that at work, in competitive sport, at home, or at leisure) there is zero cost to the individual involved: That means no cost from start to finish - nothing for the rescue (including a helicopter or ambulance)and no cost for the emergency hospital care and after-treatment, even including after-care, rehab, physio, and psych treatment if you need it.

Furthermore, if you need to take time off work and lose income, you are fairly compensated for that too. Remarkably, this even includes tourists and visitors as well as NZ residents. At a high level, this is one of the reasons why there are very few ambulance chasers and pretty much no compensation culture at all - because there's no 'net financial loss' to an individual and therefore technically nothing to legally be compensated for.

It is such an amazing scheme which is paid for by a very modest national levy on all employers, from large companies to the self-employed.

Regarding the heli-lift itself, this is provided by the local heli rescue organisation which is technically a public charity, and accepts donations from the general public as well as from the government.

As organisers of the event, we will make a voluntary donation to the heli rescue service (regardless of if we use them or not - this is definitely not a pay-per-use kind of service!). Professional Doctors and paramedics on the scene first, were all there working the event as volunteers, just for the record.

As far as we are aware, the only cost to the individual in a case such as Morgane's, would be the medical repatriation costs (in this case, back to France) but of course we are not party to Morgane's individual personal arrangements. What we do know is that she had plenty of offers to be taken care of here in Nelson from the local community when she came out of hospital, whilst she arranged for her trip home. But that's just standard Kiwi hospitality as far as I'm concerned.

More details about all of this are on the event website here (click the Accident Insurance tab):
nzmtbrally.com/travel

 Slovenia, smashed cheekbone, xrays and a CT scan, operation and titanium plates, the only cost was driving me and back from the hospital (no need for an ambulance, I was completely stable and thus was handled by my family).

Helicopter rescue in Slovenia is also free. For now, there are people that want to make it paid. For now the country covers the helicopter operating costs (helicopters and pilots are provided by the army or police) and the techs and doctors (all part of the mountain rescue service) do it on a volunteer basis.

 Back in the '90s I fractured 3 vertebrae and needed air lifting to hospital. I was there for 6 weeks, then follow up appointments and physio for about 3 months.
I remember the helicopter crew coming to visit me in hospital, one of them said "I hope you've got a good job, the helicopter costs £4000 per hour to operate". They enjoyed my panicked look for a few seconds before laughing and telling me I wouldn't have to pay anything.
Obviously we pay national insurance towards our health and social security, but outside of that there was no financial cost to me.

 I also lived in NZ for a while and was very impressed with their ACC system. Not sure if the stories about chippies lopping off a finger for a payment because they were short of cash are true or not though.

 @yanil38: As an American as well, my WAG is she paid $5000 on top of having insurance. Most of us in the US have high deductible plans these days... I had a similar experience back in 2020. Grade 2 shoulder separation. No ambulance required. No surgery. The ER visit at my local hospital cost me about $2000 out of pocket. The bills also trickle in over a somewhat long period. I paid the last bill some 9 months after the visit.

Three and a half years later, the shoulder still bothers me... eventually I would like to get it fixed, but I'm pretty sure it'll be entirely self-paid.

 Indeed - a side lesson is, don't get hurt in USA, because you'll likely be on the hook for most of it as insurance companies have become quite adept at squirming out of paying out.

 @yanil38: It was around $5,000 for the assesment and surgery: would have been more if I hadn't driven myself to the ER.

 Here in Switzerland, accident insurance is provided by our employer. This also covers your employer's costs if you break yourself. The payout for your salary etc when you're broken is reduced if you're racing or doing tricks (the medical costs are still covered though).

 @NZMTBRally: unfortunately the country is billions of dollars in debt due to this (and other extremely loose spendings)

 @DJ21111111: some Kiwis just love to complain about anything. Its a shame as Aotearoa is one of my favourite places on earth with mostly awesome locals.

 Yes, but I would assume that we're looking down the trail, not up it.

 Te Ara Koa is one of the less gnarly trails they rode in the week I think, but it's still a grade 5/single black diamond. You can get some good pace going, and there are a few bits where you really wouldn't want to drop a wheel off the side of the track.

 When you are pushing the edge of speed and traction at a world class level, any trail is dangerous. It's the V that is squared.