Original Medicare usually doesn’t cover health care while you’re traveling outside the U.S. and its territories. There are some exceptions, including some cases where Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) may pay for services that you get on board a ship within the territorial waters adjoining the land areas of the U.S. Medicare may pay for inpatient hospital, doctor, ambulance services, or dialysis you get in a foreign country in only a few rare cases.
Some Medicare Advantage plans offer international travel benefits. If you have Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Plan C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, M or N, your plan:
- Covers foreign travel emergency care if it begins during the first 60 days of your trip and if Medicare doesn’t otherwise cover the care.
- Pays 80% of the billed charges for certain medically necessary emergency care outside the U.S. after you meet a $250 deductible for the year.
- Foreign travel emergency coverage with Medigap policies has a lifetime limit of $50,000.
Before you travel outside the U.S., talk with your Medicare Advantage, Medigap plan, or insurance agent to get more information about your travel benefits.
