Does Medicare Cover You When You Travel Abroad?
Planning a cruise, a trip to see family overseas or a long-awaited vacation abroad? Before you go, it pays to know what your health coverage will and won’t do once you leave the country.
Original Medicare: Usually No Coverage Abroad
Medicare.gov is clear: Original Medicare usually doesn’t cover health care while you travel outside the U.S. The State Department’s travel site says the same thing. There are a few narrow exceptions, including:
- A medical emergency that happens in the U.S. when a foreign hospital is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat you.
- Traveling through Canada by the most direct route between Alaska and another state when an emergency happens, and a Canadian hospital is closer.
- Living in the U.S. near a border, when a foreign hospital is closer to your home than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat you.
- Care on a cruise ship from a doctor allowed to provide it, when the ship is in a U.S. port or no more than six hours away from one.
Medicare drug plans also don’t cover prescriptions you buy outside the U.S., so pack enough medication for the whole trip.
Medigap Plans May Help With Emergencies
Some Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policies include a foreign travel emergency benefit. As of October 2026, Medicare’s plan chart shows it in Plans C, D, F, G, M and N. According to Medicare’s fact sheet on coverage outside the U.S., this benefit:
- Pays 80% of billed charges for certain medically necessary emergency care abroad
- Starts after a $250 yearly deductible
- Has a $50,000 lifetime limit
- Applies only if the care begins during the first 60 days of your trip
Check your own policy, since details can vary by state.
Medicare Advantage Varies
Medicare Advantage plans must follow Medicare’s rules, but some cover extra services outside the U.S. Call your plan before you travel and ask exactly what is covered and how to file a claim.
Travel Insurance Basics
Travel insurance can fill gaps, but a policy doesn’t always include health coverage, so read the terms closely. Common types include:
- Travel medical coverage for doctor and hospital care abroad
- Medical evacuation coverage to get you to suitable care or home
- Trip cancellation or interruption coverage, which may not include any medical benefits
The State Department notes that an air ambulance back to the U.S. can cost $20,000 to $200,000, and most health plans won’t pay for it. Many foreign hospitals also expect payment or a deposit up front.
Before You Leave
- Call your Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan and ask what is covered abroad.
- Decide whether you need travel medical or evacuation coverage.
- Enroll in the free Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to get alerts from the U.S. embassy and help them reach you in an emergency.
- Pack medications in original labeled containers, plus a letter from your doctor listing your conditions and prescriptions.
- Leave a copy of your passport and your trip details with family.
Have questions about your options? Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) offers unbiased, one-on-one Medicare counseling. Find your local office at shiphelp.org. Rules vary by plan and state, so confirm details with your insurer.
More on Seniors Tips
Sources
- Medicare.gov: Travel outside the U.S.
- Medicare.gov: Medicare Coverage Outside the United States (fact sheet)
- Medicare.gov: Compare Medigap Plan Benefits
- Travel.State.Gov: Age 65+ Travelers
- Travel.State.Gov: Medicine and Health
- Travel.State.Gov: Smart Traveler Enrollment Program
- SHIP National Technical Assistance Center: shiphelp.org
