Hollister - Although a contract dispute between Hazel Hawkins Hospital and Calstar could mean the air ambulance services stops landing at the hospital, officials hope to resolve their differences and come up with a solution to the problem.

Hazel Hawkins Chief Executive Office Ken Underwood said he plans to contact Calstar's CEO Joe Cook this week and begin working toward a solution to the dispute.

Hazel Hawkins also utilizes Stanford Life Flight, which Underwood said contracts with major insurance companies so the total flight price is lower than Calstar's. Underwood said Life Flight charges around $12,000, while Calstar's bills are more than $17,000.

Cook said he has yet to hear from Underwood, but said he hopes things go back to business as usual so the helicopters can continue landing at Hazel Hawkins. Cook said if a fee is instated, Calstar would continue servicing county residents but would have to land somewhere else, such as the airport.

Hollister resident Bob Lintner said he utilized both Calstar and Life Flight last year when his wife had two heart attacks, and echoed Underwood's price estimates of the air ambulances' charges.

Lintner said his insurance company, Aetna, paid all of Life Flight's $12,000 charge, however he was stuck paying $4,000 from Calstar's bill because it doesn't contract with any insurance companies.

Lintner paid, however he then learned of a membership plan Calstar offers that allows patients to be transported for free if they pay an annual fee that ranges between $40 to $45, according to Calstar's regional manager.

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