Does Medicare cover you when traveling outside the US?
03/24/2023

Does Medicare you when traveling outside the US?
If you are a Medicare beneficiary and you plan to travel outside the United States, it’s important to understand what medical coverage you can expect. While Medicare provides a lot of coverage for medical expenses within the United States, it does not provide the same coverage when traveling outside the country. This blog post will explore whether Medicare covers you when traveling outside the US.
What is covered by Medicare when traveling outside the US?
Medicare generally does not cover medical expenses incurred while traveling outside the United States. There are a few exceptions to this rule, however, including:
Emergency care: Medicare will cover emergency medical care you receive while traveling outside the United States if needed to treat a medical emergency. This includes emergency room visits and ambulance services.
End-stage renal disease (ESRD): If you have ESRD and are traveling outside the United States, Medicare may cover certain dialysis treatments you receive.
Cruise ship care: If you are on a cruise ship within 6 hours of a U.S. port and need emergency medical care, Medicare may cover the costs of that care.
It’s important to note that even in these cases, Medicare will only pay for services considered medically necessary and unavailable in the United States.
What is not covered by Medicare when traveling outside the US?
In most situations, Medicare will not cover medical expenses incurred while traveling outside the United States. This includes routine medical care, such as doctor visits, prescription drugs, and non-emergency hospital care.
If you are planning to travel outside the United States, it’s important to consider purchasing travel insurance or a travel medical insurance policy. These policies can help cover the cost of medical care if you become sick or injured while traveling.
How can you get coverage when traveling outside the US?
If you are a Medicare beneficiary and you want to ensure that you have medical coverage when traveling outside the United States, you have a few options:
Medigap plans: Some Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans provide coverage for emergency medical care received while traveling outside the United States. It’s important to note that this coverage is generally limited to a certain dollar amount, so it may not cover all your expenses.
Medicare Advantage plans: Some Medicare Advantage plans provide coverage for emergency medical care received while traveling outside the United States. It’s important to check with your plan to see what is covered and your out-of-pocket costs.
Travel insurance: As mentioned earlier, you can purchase travel insurance or travel medical insurance to provide coverage for medical expenses incurred while traveling outside the United States.
Medicare does not provide comprehensive medical coverage when traveling outside the United States. While emergency care and other limited services may be covered, most medical expenses will not. If you are planning to travel outside the United States, it’s important to consider your options for obtaining medical coverage, such as purchasing travel insurance or a Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan that provides coverage for emergency medical care.