Medicare Advantage plans do not usually cover medical treatment needed when traveling internationally. However, sometimes, plans may include coverage for emergency care.
Private insurance companies administer Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans. The plans are required to include all of the benefits of Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) but also typically offer extra benefits.
Extra coverage may include vision and hearing care or routine dental treatment. Treatment received internationally is usually not eligible for coverage unless it is an emergency. Specific rules also apply.
This article looks at what coverage may be available for international travel, rules, extra costs, and options a person may need to consider.
Glossary of Medicare terms
We may use a few terms in this article that can be helpful to understand when selecting the best insurance plan:
- Out-of-pocket costs: An out-of-pocket cost is the amount a person must pay for medical care when Medicare does not pay the total cost or offer coverage. These costs can include deductibles, coinsurance, copayments, and premiums.
- Deductible: This is an annual amount a person must spend out of pocket within a certain period before an insurer starts to fund their treatments.
- Coinsurance: This is the percentage of treatment costs that a person must self-fund. For Medicare Part B, this is 20%.
- Copayment: This is a fixed dollar amount a person with insurance pays when receiving certain treatments. For Medicare, this usually applies to prescription drugs.
In most instances, Medicare will not pay for health services received while outside the United States.
When it comes to Medicare, coverage is usually available in the following places, as they are not considered international:
- any of the 50 U.S. states
- the District of Columbia
- Puerto Rico
- the U.S. Virgin Islands
- Guam
- American Samoa
- the Northern Mariana Islands
Medicare may pay for some emergency medical services a person receives in a non-U.S. hospital in three instances:
- Medicare may provide coverage if a person becomes ill in the U.S., but the nearest hospital able to provide adequate care is in a non-U.S. location.
- It may offer coverage to a person traveling to Alaska through Canada without unreasonable delay when a medical emergency occurs. In this circumstance, a Canadian hospital should be adequately equipped to treat the illness or injury and be closer than a U.S. hospital. Medicare determines the definition of “without unreasonable delay” on a situational basis.
- When a person resides in the U.S. and a non-U.S. hospital that can treat the health condition is closer to the place of residence than the nearest U.S. hospital, Medicare may provide coverage. This applies in both emergency and non-emergency situations.
In all cases, Medicare will only pay for Medicare-covered and eligible services that a person receives.
Read about Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage.
Costs
If eligible treatment is received while a person is abroad, they are required to pay the same coinsurance, copayment, or deductible that would apply to treatment received in the U.S.
A person eligible for Medicare may be able to get Medicare coverage while they live outside the U.S.
If a person lives outside the U.S. and qualifies for Part A coverage, they can contact their nearest U.S. Social Security office, U.S. Consulate, or U.S. Embassy to enroll.
If a Medicare-eligible individual resides outside the U.S. and wants to enroll in Medicare Part B, they may pay a higher premium depending on their circumstances.
An individual is eligible to to enroll in Part B coverage if all of the following conditions apply:
- they are a U.S. citizen or legal resident
- they are over age 65
- they are not eligible for Social Security benefits
- they resided in a foreign country when they turned 65 years of age
If a person is returning to the U.S., they will first be eligible to enroll in Part B the month they return and establish residence. They may not have to pay a late enrollment penalty if enrollment takes place for Part B within 3 months of returning to the U.S.
Read about enrolling in Medicare.
There are other options that may give a person medical coverage while traveling abroad.
Travel insurance
As Medicare provides limited health coverage outside the U.S., a person may choose to purchase travel insurance that includes medical care before they leave on a trip.
Travel insurance that includes medical care protects individuals in the event of an illness or injury when they travel outside their country of residence. It may also provide key emergency care benefits.
An individual may contact an insurance agent or travel agent for more information about this type of insurance plan.
Medigap (Medicare supplement insurance)
Medigap plans may offer health coverage for medical services a person receives while outside the U.S.
If a person has Medigap Plan C, D, F, G, M, or N, their policy may cover foreign travel emergency medical care if the illness or injury occurred during the first 60 days of travel, and if Original Medicare does not cover the healthcare.
Medigap may also pay 80% of the charges after a person has paid an annual deductible, which is $250 in 2024.
Medigap’s overseas emergency coverage has a lifetime maximum limit of $50,000.
Private insurance companies administer Medigap plans, and a person may contact a plan provider directly to learn about coverage while traveling overseas.
Medicare’s helpful web tool can help an individual to compare available policies.
Medicare resources
For more resources to help guide you through the complex world of medical insurance, visit our Medicare hub.
Usually, Medicare will not pay for medical services received while a person is outside the U.S., except in some emergencies.
A person will pay the same coinsurance, copayment, and deductible as they usually would if they had received the services while in the U.S.
Individuals eligible for Medicare may be able to enroll for Medicare coverage while they live outside the U.S., but some rules apply.
Because Medicare provides limited coverage outside the U.S., a person may wish to purchase a Medigap policy or travel insurance that includes medical coverage before they leave the U.S.