Air Methods Corporation (Nasdaq: AIRM), the global leader in air medical transportation, provided an update on second quarter results. While community-based patient transports for the second quarter 2015 increased 7.4% to approximately 16,105 from the prior-year quarter, patients transported for community bases in operation greater than one year decreased an estimated 318 transports, or 2.2%. Weather cancellations for these same bases increased by an estimated 1,250 transports compared with the prior-year quarter.

Preliminary net revenue per community-based transport for the second quarter 2015 declined slightly to $11,298, as compared with $11,353 in the prior-year quarter. Net revenue per transport did not increase with gross price increases due to a decrease in privately insured patients as a percentage of transports and a decrease in collections as a percentage of gross charges from private insurers. Specifically,

Transports of privately insured patients decreased from 26.8% to 26.1% of total transports during the second quarter, compared with the prior-year quarter.

Collections as a percentage of gross charges from private insurers decreased from 81.7% in the prior-year quarter to 77.5% in current-year quarter. The vast majority of this decline is due to the cessation of a national contract with a commercial payor.

Primarily as a result of these factors, the Company expects to report net income from continuing operations of approximately $0.67 to $0.69 per share for the second quarter of 2015, compared with net income from continuing operations of $0.75 per share in the prior-year quarter. These preliminary results are subject to final quarter-end closing and review procedures and are therefore subject to change.

Aaron Todd, CEO, stated, “Weather has been a significant headwind for financial results year-to-date, as well as in the second quarter. Demand, however, remained strong during the quarter as evidenced by the growth in transports plus weather cancellations in total and on a same-base basis (16.7% and 5.0%, respectively). Furthermore, cash collections on a per transport basis increased 7% over the past twelve months despite days sales outstanding increasing eight days year-over-year.”

Some preliminary statistics can be found in the table below.

The Company will report financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2015 after the close of the market on Thursday, August 6, 2015. Concurrently, the Company will post a financial supplement that contains final operating statistics on its website, www.airmethods.com.

The Company has scheduled a conference call for Thursday, August 6, 2015 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern to discuss these results. Interested parties can access the call by dialing (855) 601-0049 (domestic) or (720) 398-0100 (international) or by accessing the web cast at www.airmethods.com. A replay of the call will be available at (855) 859-2056 (domestic) or (404) 537-3406 (international), access number 77221453, for 3 days following the call and the web cast can be accessed at www.airmethods.com for 30 days.

Air Methods Corporation (www.airmethods.com ) is the global leader in air medical transportation. The Air Medical Services Division is the largest provider of air medical transport services in the United States. The United Rotorcraft Division specializes in the design and manufacture of aeromedical and aerospace technology. The Tourism Division is comprised of Sundance Helicopters, Inc. and Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, which provides helicopter tours and charter flights in the Las Vegas/Grand Canyon region and Hawaii, respectively. Air Methods’ fleet of owned, leased or maintained aircraft features over 450 helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.

Operating Statistics (Preliminary):      2014           2015       YOY Change

Net Revenue per Transport                     $11,353      $11,298  -0.5%

Transports                                                   $14,994      $16,105  -7.4%

Transports + Weather Cancellations   18,908        22,071     16.7%

Same-Base Transports (SBTs)                14,698        14,380     -2.2%

SBTs + Weather Cancellations              18,504        19,436       5.0%

Days Sales Outstanding                          123               131             6.5%

Collection Rate                                          81.7%           77.5          -420 bps*

Payor Mix

Commercial Insurance                           26.8%             26.1          -70 bps

Government-Sponsored Insurance     3.6%                4.1%          50 bps

Medicare                                                     34.5%             35.9%         140 bps

Medicaid                                                     24.1%             24.7%         60 bps

Self-Pay                                                       10.9%             9.2%           -170 bps

* The YOY decrease in collection rate is due primarily to the cessation of a national contract with a commercial payor.