Medicare usually doesn’t cover health care while you’re travelingoutside the U.S.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, andambulance servicesyou get in a foreign country in these rare cases:
- You're in the U.S. when a medical emergency occurs, and the foreign hospital is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat your medical condition.
- You're traveling through Canada without unreasonable delay by the most direct route between Alaska and another U.S state when a medical emergency occurs, and the Canadian hospital is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat the emergency.
- You live in the U.S. and the foreign hospital is closer to your home than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat your medical condition, regardless of whether an emergency exists.
Medicare may cover medically necessary ambulance transportation to a foreign hospital only with admission for medically necessary covered inpatient hospital services.
Medicare drug coverage (Part D) covers all vaccines that the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends, including certain vaccines you might need to get before you travel outside the U.S. (like yellow fever, chikungunya, and Japanese encephalitis). Your Part D plan won't charge you a copayment or apply a deductible for vaccines ACIP recommends. Contact your Medicare drug plan for details and talk to your provider about which ones are right for you.
Your costs in Original Medicare
You pay 100% of the costs, in most cases. In the situations described above, you pay the part of the charge you would normally pay for covered services. This includes any medically necessary doctor and ambulance services you get in a foreign country as a part of a covered inpatient hospital stay. You also pay the coinsurance, copayments, and deductibles you'd normally pay if got these same services or supplies inside the U.S.
In the situations above, Medicare pays only for services covered under Original Medicare: Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) covers hospital care (care you get when you've been formally admitted with a doctor's order to the foreign hospital as an inpatient).
- Part B covers emergency and non-emergency ambulance and doctor services you get immediately before and during your covered foreign inpatient hospital stay. Medicare generally won't pay for services (like return ambulance trips home) in either of these cases:
- Medicare didn't cover your hospital stay.
- You got ambulance and doctor services outside the hospital after your covered hospital stay ended.
Note
Foreign hospitals aren’t required to file Medicare claims for your travel medical costs. You need tosubmit an itemized billto Medicare for your doctor, inpatient, and ambulance services if both of these apply:
- You're admitted to a foreign hospital under one of the situations above
- The foreign hospital doesn't submit Medicare claims for you
Find out cost
To find out how much your test, item, or service will cost, talk to your doctor or health care provider. The specific amount you’ll owe may depend on several things, like:
- Other insurance you may have
- How much your doctor charges
- If your doctor accepts assignment
- The type of facility
- Where you get your test, item, or service
Things to know
The 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa are considered part of the U.S. Anywhere else is considered outside the U.S.
Medicare drug plans don't cover prescription drugs you buy outside the U.S.
Medicare supplement insurance (Medigap) policies may cover emergency carewhen you travel outside the U.S.
Note
Because Medicare has limited travel medical coverage outside the U.S., you may choose to buy a travel insurance policy to get more coverage. An insurance agent or travel agent can give you more information about the cost of travel medicalinsurance. Travel insurance doesn’t necessarily include health insurance, so it’s important to read the conditions or restrictions carefully.
Is my test, item, or service covered?
FAQs
Traveling abroad allows you to experience different cultures firsthand. It can help you gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the world and the people in it. It can also help you become more open-minded, tolerant, and accepting of different ways of life, and you will return home practically a new person!
How many Americans have never traveled outside the US? ›
Reportedly, 40% of Americans have never left the United States. 11% of Americans have never even traveled outside of the state where they were born. Over half of Americans have never even owned a passport.
How to answer "How was the trip?"? ›
You can say something like “it was amazing” or “it was relaxing” or “it was a great break” and let it go with that response. If you are with good friends or relatives, you would want to go into detail and pull out the pictures.
Do Americans travel outside of the USA? ›
Roughly three-quarters of Americans (76%) have visited at least one other country, including 26% who have been to five or more.
What are the benefits of traveling abroad? ›
new people, new cultures, new locations, new ways of life, new languages, new realities and more. And if one is open to take that in without any judgment or prejudice, it will certainly help you expand your horizons, grow your knowledge and understanding of the world and people.
What do you need to travel outside the US? ›
A passport is required for overseas travel. It is recommended to make a copy of your passport and put it in a separate place. Carry your passport - do not pack it in your checked luggage. You must present it to the Customs and Border Protection officer upon arrival in the United States.
How to answer "Are you willing to travel?"? ›
I'm definitely willing to travel. I've been looking for a job that will allow me to travel as part of my responsibilities because I find that travel allows me to expand my knowledge of the many facets of a company's customer base. Travel allows me to not only grow my education, but also my professional network.
How is your journey answer? ›
Sample response 1: “Yes I had a good journey thanks.” Sample response 2: “Yes the journey was fine thank you very much. I planned the journey a couple of days ago, just to make sure I knew exactly where I was going. The last thing I wanted was to be late.
How do you answer what is the purpose of your trip? ›
Your purpose of travel could be anything like education, travel, a friend's marriage, etc. You will have to state the purpose of the trip without any ambiguity. You can also provide documentary evidence to support your purpose of travel.
Is it safe to travel outside the US? ›
There is some risk in any international travel. Conditions in other countries may differ from those in the United States and may change at any time. Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory.
The pandemic changed that and the latest study by the Boulder-based Outdoor Industry Association shows a record 168.1 million Americans — 55% of the population ages 6 and up — went outside for recreation in 2022. That's a 2.3% increase over the previous record in 2021.
How many people travel outside of the US? ›
Number of United States residents travelling overseas from 2002 to 2022 (in millions)
| Characteristic | Number of tourists in millions |
|---|
| 2022 | 38.1 |
| 2021 | 18.21 |
| 2020 | 9.84 |
| 2019 | 44.81 |
9 more rowsFeb 5, 2024
10 Reasons to Go Abroad
- Experience Different Styles of Education. ...
- Immerse Yourself in a New Culture. ...
- See the World. ...
- Develop Your Language Skills. ...
- You're not Visiting, You're Living.
- Career & Educational Opportunities.
- Find New Interests.
- Make Lifelong Friends.
Advantages: Temporary escape, vacation. Disadvantages: Stress, lack of support, unexpected situations, language barriers. Travel can reveal personal limitations and potentially disrupt mental health.
Why do you want to go to abroad? ›
Going abroad is an exciting challenge and a great opportunity to escape your comfort zones. You'll have the opportunity to pick up new skills you may not have had the chance to whilst studying at home, including navigating a new city, communicating in a different language, and budgeting with an unfamiliar currency.
Why do we travel overseas? ›
People like to travel abroad for a variety of reasons. For some, it's the opportunity to experience different cultures and explore new places. For others, it's the chance to escape their everyday lives and immerse themselves in something completely different.
