Does Medicare Cover You When You Travel? The Answer Surprises Most People

Medicare and travel: the key facts

• Where Original Medicare works: the 50 states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa.
• The rare exceptions abroad: for example, if you are in the US and the nearest hospital that can treat an emergency is in Canada or Mexico, or you are travelling through Canada by the most direct route between Alaska and another state. Care on a cruise ship may be covered only in limited cases, such as when the ship is in US waters or within six hours of a US port. Details are on Medicare.gov's page on travel outside the US.
• Medigap: Plans C, D, F, G, M and N pay 80% of medically necessary emergency care abroad after a $250 yearly deductible, up to a $50,000 lifetime limit, for emergencies that begin in the first 60 days of a trip.
• Medicare Advantage (Part C): some plans include emergency and urgent care abroad, others don't. Check your plan's Evidence of Coverage and ask how claims work.
• Prescriptions: Part D plans generally don't cover drugs bought outside the US. Take enough medicine for the whole trip, in original packaging.
• Medical evacuation back to the US is not covered by Original Medicare and usually not by Medigap, and can cost tens of thousands of dollars or more.

The interactive guide below walks through each of these points, why the gaps exist and what to do about them, page by page.

Before your next trip abroad: a checklist

1. Call your plan. Ask what it covers outside the US, whether you must pay upfront and claim back, and the claim deadline. Note the date and the name of the person you spoke to.
2. Buy travel medical insurance that includes emergency medical evacuation and repatriation, and check the age limits and pre-existing condition rules.
3. Carry documents: your insurance cards, the travel policy's 24-hour assistance number, a list of your medicines with generic names, and copies of prescriptions.
4. Bring enough medicine for the trip plus a few extra days, in your carry-on.
5. Know what to do in an emergency. Our emergency travel safety steps explain how to get medical help abroad and when to call your insurer and embassy.

Planning a winter escape? See our warm November getaways, or for travellers who like to set off with a blessing, our guide to travel prayers for a safe journey.

This article is general information, not insurance, legal or medical advice. Medicare rules and plan benefits change; check with Medicare (1-800-MEDICARE), your plan or a licensed adviser before you travel.

Frequently asked questions

Does Medicare cover me outside the United States?

Generally no. Original Medicare covers care in the US and its territories, with only narrow exceptions near the Canadian and Mexican borders and on ships close to a US port.

Which Medigap plans cover foreign travel emergencies?

Plans C, D, F, G, M and N. They pay 80% of emergency care abroad after a $250 yearly deductible, up to a $50,000 lifetime limit, for emergencies that begin in the first 60 days of a trip.

Does Medicare Advantage cover travel abroad?

Some plans cover emergency and urgent care abroad and some do not. Check your plan's Evidence of Coverage and ask how claims and reimbursement work.

Does Medicare cover medical evacuation?

Original Medicare does not pay to fly you home from abroad, and Medigap usually doesn't either. Travel insurance with medical evacuation cover fills that gap.

Does Medicare cover me on a cruise?

Only in limited cases, such as when the ship is in US territorial waters or within six hours of a US port. Most care on international cruises is not covered.