While a trip or a vacation is an exciting event, you should keep your healthcare a priority on your next travel endeavor; it doesn’t matter if you are going out of the city or country. You should make sure you get healthcare coverage at your destination. Often, people tend to get ahead of themselves when planning a vacation and forget to check the scope of their health insurance plans.
So, if you have Medicare and are planning on traveling anytime soon, this article is for you. This article will tell you about the coverage Medicare offers while traveling, so read on.
Traveling within the US with your Medicare affordable health insurance
One of the most common types of vacations that most people take involve traveling within the US. You may be going to a different city or a state for your trip. No matter what the scale of your journey within the US is, here is how your Medicare affordable health insurance is going to cover you while traveling within the US:
Original Medicare Plans: As mentioned above, if your vacation involves traveling within the US, and you hold an Original Medicare plan, you don’t need to worry. All Medicare Plans offer the same level of benefits to their beneficiaries as long as they are within the US territory.
So, if you often travel within the US or plan on exploring the country, then your Original Medicare plan’s coverage will be the same no matter which city or state you are in. This coverage gives the beneficiaries peace of mind that they will get the same treatment and care level without worrying about paying extra for it when traveling to a different country or state.
Medicare Supplement insurance also called Medigap: Since Medicare Supplement insurance is meant to supplement Original Medicare, the same rules apply to both of these programs. These are similar to Original Medicare. As long as you are within the US territory, you will get coverage for Medigap identical to what you would expect in your hometown. No matter where you are in the US, Medicare and Medicare Supplement plans will be with you to cover your healthcare expenses.
Medicare Plan C: Plan C, also called the Medicare Advantage plan, has different coverage when traveling within the US. For example, some Plan C types only cover you as long as you are within your enrolled state. Similarly, other Plan C variations may protect you when you are outside the state, but the coverage cost would be higher.
You can always check with your health insurance companies to see what type of coverage they offer for Plan C when traveling within the US.
Traveling outside the US with your Medicare
If you travel outside the US, Medicare will only cover you under the following circumstances:
Original Medicare will cover you when:
- You are traveling between Alaska to another US territory through Canada; then, you may be covered for medical emergencies. However, the coverage for Medical emergencies is also determined depending upon each case.
- If you are traveling by a cruise ship that is still within the US sea territory or the 6 hours of a US port, you are covered for any essential medical care as long as a doctor is onboard the ship.
- When you live in the US and a foreign healthcare facility is the closest to your residence, then the healthcare facility will offer you health care coverage.
Medicare Supplement insurance will cover you if: You have a Medicare Supplement plan that provides coverage for emergencies when you are traveling internationally. However, the scope will be limited depending upon the plan you have.
Plan C will cover you if: When it comes to international coverage, Plan C is also restricted by the same conditions that the Original Medicare plans have to follow. However, some Plan C may cover you when traveling outside the US, just like Medigap.
Want an individual health insurance plan that is best for your travel needs? Mortgage agencies such as The Benefit Link can help you in finding one.