Medicare Advavtage Plan

[camper49]

Has anyone had the experience of using Medicare Advantage Plan while traveling ? I am going to buy travel insurance as well. Our Advantage Plan states that we are covered world wide for Emergency rooms....is the ships infirmary considered an Emergency room?

[cherylandtk]

That is a question to ask directly of your insurance provider. My guess would be it more like a walk-in acute care clinic.

[Hlitner]

As a general rule (and in this world there could always be an exception) Medicare will not pay for any care on a cruise ship that is more then 6 hours (you can interpret this crazy standard) from a US Port. Advantage plans are not going to generally consider a ship's medical center as an Emergency Room since they are looking for licensed/accredited hospitals.

 

As a frequent traveler who happens to be on Medicare (with an Advantage Plan) we currently purchase the annual GeoBlue Policy (part of the Blue Cross network) which costs $349 a year (for a couple). This policy provides us $250,000 of medical coverage (worldwide) plus $500,000 of medical evacuation insurance. What we like about this policy is that it is for an entire year (not just a single cruise) and covers the first 70 days of each and every trip we take throughout the year. Last year we were out of the country about 7 months but no single trip was longer then 70 days :).

 

Hank

[RVRoadie]

My Medicare Advantage plan covers emergency services with a $75 co-pay when out of the country. However, you have to pay the provider directly and request reimbursement whey you get home. Also, the reimbursement will be limited to the customary amount they pay in the US.

 

Still a good idea to buy additional travel insurance. We get the medical evacuation insurance from InsureAndGo.

[camper49]

My Medicare Advantage plan covers emergency services with a $75 co-pay when out of the country. However, you have to pay the provider directly and request reimbursement whey you get home. Also, the reimbursement will be limited to the customary amount they pay in the US.

 

Still a good idea to buy additional travel insurance. We get the medical evacuation insurance from InsureAndGo.

 

I still plan to buy travel insurance !