Will medicare cover me if i travel outside the united states?

WHAT OTHER FOREIGN TRAVEL EMERGENCY COVERAGE IS AVAILABLE? MEDICARE ADVANTAGE. Some private Medicare Advantage plans cover foreign travel emergency care, but here, too, coverage is limited

and details vary. Find out more about the Medicare Advantage plans available in your area by using the Medicare Plan Finder. TRAVEL INSURANCE. While some travel insurance policies cover trip

cancellations, others also cover emergency medical care in a foreign country and medical evacuation either to a nearby medical facility or back to the U.S. However, some travel insurance

policies exclude preexisting conditions, so find out about exclusions, coverage limits and other details before choosing a policy. TRICARE FOR LIFE. If you’re a military retiree, you may

have foreign-country health care coverage through Tricare for Life after you enroll in Medicare. Tricare for Life typically covers Medicare’s deductibles, copayments and coinsurance, but it

also provides additional benefits, such as health care outside of the U.S. It’s the same foreign travel insurance military retirees and dependents have before enrolling in Medicare. You pay

any deductibles and copayments for that coverage. KEEP IN MIND If you plan to live abroad or travel back and forth regularly, rather than just vacation out of the country, you can enroll in

Medicare. But you’ll forgo coverage while you’re away and still have to pay the monthly Part B premiums, typically $174.70 a month in 2024. You’ll also have to pay Part A premiums if you or

your spouse haven’t paid Medicare taxes for at least 40 quarters, which is 10 years. In 2024, you'll pay $278 a month for Part A if you or your spouse paid Medicare taxes for 30 to 39

quarters, or $505 a month if you or your spouse paid Medicare taxes for fewer than 30 quarters. If you decide to wait to enroll in Medicare until after you return to the United States, you

may have to pay a late enrollment penalty. If you work abroad and receive health insurance from your employer, live in a country with a national health system or volunteer and have health

coverage through a sponsor organization, you may have some exemptions. This includes eligibility for an eight-month special enrollment period after you stop working or lose your insurance;

six months if you’re volunteering. It’s a good idea to research your options before making any decisions about health care insurance while traveling. Return to Medicare Q&A main page