Will Your Medicare Plan Still Cover You During International Trips?

Are you ready for great food, breathtaking sights, a cultural shift, and a much-needed change of scenery? If so, you’re not alone! According to Expedia’s travel trends survey, 37% of people are planning both domestic and international trips in 2022. With reduced restrictions and additional safety precautions, travel has become more accessible. While you’re ironing your clothes, packing your converters, and fine-tuning your itinerary, medical coverage is probably the last thing on your mind—but it shouldn’t be. Retirees need to consider their medical coverage before jet-setting on their next adventure, especially abroad. Will your Medicare plan provide coverage overseas?

By Itself, Medicare Is Pretty Limited

Unless you have supplemental insurance, you probably won’t receive much help from Medicare abroad. In most cases, Medicare won’t pay for care or supplies outside of the United States. In short, Medicare will only cover health care services in a foreign hospital in three cases:

1. You are in the U.S. when you have a medical emergency, and a non-U.S. hospital happens to be closer than the nearest U.S.-based hospital. This situation could be applicable if you are in a U.S. state boarding another country.

2. You are traveling through Canada without unreasonable delay when a medical emergency occurs, and the Canada-based hospital is closer than a U.S.-based hospital.

3. You live in the U.S., and the non-U.S. hospital is closer to your home than the nearest U.S.-based hospital, regardless of an emergency.

Medicare And Cruises

It is also essential to know what Medicare will cover for those considering cruises. Medicare may cover medically necessary health care services you receive on a cruise ship in these situations:

• Under specific laws, the doctor can provMedicarecare services on the cruise ship.

• The ship is in a U.S. port or no more than 6 hours away from a U.S. port when you get the services, regardless of whether it is an emergency.

In summary, Medicare does not cover health care services you get when the ship is more than 6 hours away from a U.S. port. For a much deeper dive into Medicare coverage outside of the United States, review this helpful sheet from medicare.gov. While Original Medicare isn’t all that helpful, you’ll have more luck with a supplemental Medigap plan.

Medigap And International Travel

Medigap plans are not a replacement for Medicare; instead, they are a supplement to Original Medicare. Medigap aims to help cover the holes or costs associated with your Medicare coverage. Most Medigap plans offer emergency coverage outside of the U.S. Similar to Medicare, it will likely pay 80% of your expenses once you reach the $250 annual deductible. If you have a Medigap plan and are considering international travel, check with your plan provider to verify what type of coverage (if any) you have when abroad. If you aren’t covered, and international travel is a priority for your retirement lifestyle, you may want to consider making a change during the open enrollment period.

Purchase Trip Insurance

Trip insurance is exactly what you think—insurance to cover your trip. It’s a specific type of policy you can buy to help protect you while traveling abroad. There are different types of trip insurance, most specifically “long-term” trip insurance vs. “short-term” trip insurance. At a basic level, here is the break-down of each:

Short-Term Trip Health Insurance

• More ideal for periods of less than one year

• It covers both medical and travel

• Allows for you to choose your policy maximum and deductibles

• Most plans exclude pre-existing condition coverage

• Not renewable

Long-Term Trip Health Insurance

• Annually renewable and more comprehensive health coverage

• Offers a higher policy maximum and additional benefits

• It works well for both individual ex-pats and families needing coverage for more than one year

• Also more suited for anyone with pre-existing conditions or planning to become pregnant while abroad

• More costly when compared to short-term trip health insurance plans

Finally, it is important to be more conservative and play it safe regarding trip insurance. You do not want to have a gap in your coverage, especially after crossing the border.

Travel Safe And Smart

Traveling at any time, especially during retirement, should be something to look forward to and not cause stress. With the recent shift to more normalcy post-COVID-19, travel plans will be a high priority. So, being safe about your health coverage is vital as you plan your next vacation. Be smart about the coverage you have, and if you need more, take the appropriate steps to cover all your bases. By doing so, you can genuinely enjoy your long-awaited trip! Ready to learn more about considerations for Medicare coverage? Reach out today.