How Your Medicare Plan Works When You Travel

Where your Medicare goes when you leave home depends on the kind of plan you have.

Original Medicare on the Road

Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) travels well inside the country. 

You are protected for care from any doctor or hospital in the United States and its territories that accepts Medicare, with no networks to worry about. 

Outside the country, though, Original Medicare pays for care only in rare situations, so an international trip needs extra planning.

The Quiet Strength of a Medigap Plan

If you have a Medicare supplement (Medigap) plan, that nationwide freedom is one of its best features. 

Because benefits are standardized by federal law, your plan works the same in every state. A Plan G in Florida behaves exactly like a Plan G in California, as long as the provider accepts Medicare. For frequent travelers and snowbirds, that consistency matters.

A Common Myth About Travel Abroad

Many travelers assume any Medigap plan helps overseas. Not all do. 

Plans C, D, F, G, M, and N include a foreign travel emergency benefit. That benefit pays 80 percent of medically necessary emergency care after a $250 yearly deductible, up to a $50,000 lifetime limit, for emergencies that begin in the first 60 days of a trip. Routine and pre-planned care abroad is not included.

If You Have Medicare Advantage

Medicare Advantage works differently, and that is worth knowing before you go. 

These plans are built around provider networks, so routine care away from your service area may cost more or require prior approval. Emergencies are handled anywhere in the country. Some plans limit out-of-state care to a set number of months. None of this makes Advantage the wrong choice. It simply means travelers should learn the rules ahead of time.

If You Split Time Between States

Many of our members are snowbirds, spending part of the year in one state and part in another. 

With Original Medicare and a Medigap plan, that is simple: you can see any provider nationwide who accepts Medicare. With Medicare Advantage, a second home can be trickier, since your network and primary doctor may be tied to one service area. It is worth confirming how your plan treats your second address.

If You Need Care While Away

A little preparation goes a long way. 

If something comes up on the road, call the number on your plan card before a non-emergency visit, so you know what to expect. Keep your receipts and paperwork, especially for care abroad, since foreign claims are paid back after the fact.

Remember that Original Medicare treats the 50 states, Washington D.C., and the U.S. territories the same way. A trip to Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands counts as domestic travel, not foreign.

A Quick Pre-Trip Checklist

• Confirm whether your plan includes a foreign travel emergency benefit.
• For Medicare Advantage, ask how care works outside your service area.
• Carry your plan card and a current list of your medications.
• For international trips, consider a separate travel medical policy, since most plans do little abroad.

Quick Question

Which Medigap plans include a foreign travel emergency benefit?

Answer: Plans C, D, F, G, M, and N.

We are not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. We are an independent insurance agency.

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Here’s to your health and wealth,

Wiley P. Long, III
President – MediGap Advisors

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