Traveling Internationally with Medicare
July 2, 2018 | Todd Lewison
It’s important to be prepared when you are getting ready for an international trip so that you can relax and enjoy your vacation. Besides remembering to grab your passport and pack extra socks, it’s also very helpful to know what happens with your Medicare plan when you travel abroad.
- First, check with your Medicare plan before you travel and take note of what exactly is covered in other countries outside of the U.S. For instance, your Medigap policy may offer foreign emergency health care. You can reach out to us if you’re not sure what Medicare plan you have.
- According to the Medicare Blog, generally, Medicare won’t pay for health services outside of the U.S. and the other territories that the U.S. owns ( such as the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, and etc.)
- If you are visiting Canada or Mexico and a medical emergency occurs, your American Medicare plan may pay for services if a Canadian or Mexican hospital is closer than a hospital that is located in the U.S.
- If you are travelling on a cruise and the ship is at most six hours from a U.S. port, then you may be able to use your Medicare.
- Finally, if your Medicare plan does not provide health care coverage outside of the United States, you can purchase a travel insurance policy to obtain more coverage.
Are you planning a trip outside of the United States? You can learn more about Medicare coverage and international travel by attending one of our workshops in the Twin Cities!