Medicare and foreign travel

[cpayne]

While my family is approx 10 yrs from being eligible for Medicare I'm already dreaming and planning travels for retirement! Based on what I've read on CC it appears Medicare does NOT provide coverage while traveling internationally. Am I understanding this correctly?

 

It also appears that many people on Medicare therefore purchase travel insurance when they cruise. I see the value in that absolutely, but travel insurance per cruise can add up quickly. I know we will need some type of coverage for when we travel outside the US, but wondering if there is a better way to do it.

 

My question is does anyone know whether a Medigap policy provides coverage when traveling overseas? If we are planning to take multiple cruises each year it seems like there may be a better way financially to obtain foreign travel coverage versus traditional travel insurance.

 

I am NOT debating whether or not we will need some form of insurance after retirement when we travel outside the US. I am 100% certain we do need coverage. I am just trying to better understand the best way to do it if we plan to have multiple trips outside the US each year

 

Any ideas?

 

 

 

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[Philob]

1_Try asking your question at the CruiseTravel Insurance forum here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=635

 

2_Consider an annual travel insurance policy. G;);)gle it :)

Edited July 21, 2016 by Philob

[RVRoadie]

Some Medicare Advantage plans do offer reimbursement for limited medical expenses outside the US.

 

You can get a reasonable policy from Insure and Go by putting a low ($100) value on the trip cost. I have done that before.

 

It is more than a little annoying that Insure and Go can write annual policies outside the US, but not inside. You can see this by selecting a different country at the top of the page, like UK.

 

I have friends that get an annual policy from DAN. It is not that cheap, and is not offered in Florida. They travel about 6 months out of the year and think it is a good deal.

Edited July 21, 2016 by RVRoadie

[NantahalaCruiser]

Medigap supplemental insurance only pays the extra 20% of a medical expense when Medicare pays the 80% of that expense. Since Medicare does not pay for overseas medical expenses Medigap also does not pay.

[MADflyer]

Medicare supplement plans (Medigap) Type F include medical coverage at 80% of medical cost while traveling abroad for up to 60 days of travel. They carry a $50000 lifetime maximum.

 

Some plans are more expensive right from purchase, but the fees do not rise with age. Other plans will be available for lower rates at 65, but rise as one ages.

 

Most involve payment abroad with reimbursement at home. Some countries charge nothing on site for medical emergencies, but do expect payment upon return home.

 

Hopefully more countries will follow Panama's lead, where they offer medical insurance covering all tourist visits to the country.

[nelblu]

While my family is approx 10 yrs from being eligible for Medicare I'm already dreaming and planning travels for retirement! Based on what I've read on CC it appears Medicare does NOT provide coverage while traveling internationally. Am I understanding this correctly?

 

It also appears that many people on Medicare therefore purchase travel insurance when they cruise. I see the value in that absolutely, but travel insurance per cruise can add up quickly. I know we will need some type of coverage for when we travel outside the US, but wondering if there is a better way to do it.

 

My question is does anyone know whether a Medigap policy provides coverage when traveling overseas? If we are planning to take multiple cruises each year it seems like there may be a better way financially to obtain foreign travel coverage versus traditional travel insurance.

 

I am NOT debating whether or not we will need some form of insurance after retirement when we travel outside the US. I am 100% certain we do need coverage. I am just trying to better understand the best way to do it if we plan to have multiple trips outside the US each year

 

Any ideas?

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Yes, we have AARP/UHC plan" F" and if covers 80% while you're traveling overseas. The coverage is for the 1st 60 days and has a $250 deductible & a lifetime limit of $50,000. Also, from Money magazine, Medicare coverage is applicable on cruise ships within 6 hours of a US port.

[shippmates]

Some companies do offer a yearly insurance policy. I know that some of the policies have lower reimbursement levels than single policies. When we had to use our insurance while on a cruise the cost on the ship had to be paid before I left the ship. The hospital in Dominican Republic only accepted the insurance to the limit and the rest had to be paid before we left the hospital. Please read the small print as most policies are secondary insurance and only pay claims after your primary insurance denies the claim.

[jimbri]

Excellent question. I'm not on Medicare yet but will be soon :eek:. I wonder how much supplemental kicks in? Time to call the insurance company but I think I would take out extra insurance for any trip outside the US.

[CapeCodCruiser]

The biggest reason to take a travel insurance medical policy is the medical evacuation coverage. That can run into the 10's of thousands to transport you home f you need a physician and med equipment to accompany you. Minimum suggested coverage is 50k. It will also cover repatriation of remains is needed - that also can be very expensive.

[bigboffs]

The biggest reason to take a travel insurance medical policy is the medical evacuation coverage. That can run into the 10's of thousands to transport you home f you need a physician and med equipment to accompany you. Minimum suggested coverage is 50k. It will also cover repatriation of remains is needed - that also can be very expensive.

Agree!!! Most policies (ie RCCL) provide for the person (not anyone traveling with that individual) to be evacuated to the nearest "appropriate medical facility," The quality of medical care in many countries would not meet or even approach American standards. Also, once on shore, the cruise co policy has been fully satisfied. Needed is a policy (purchased on a yearly basis) that provides a toll free phone number and then the insurance co. takes over, both the person and traveling companion are evacuated, the evacuation is to a hospital proximate to your home, and if necessary the evacuation would be on an air evac airplane. There are also many medical care insurance policies that supplement coverage out of the US, noting that medicare will not pay for services outside the US nor will some other policies sold by insurers. Suggest each traveler read their coverage closely and if necessary, get a supplement

[PNW Traveler]

For those who own an RV, specifically a motor home, the Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) has a membership benefit of free medical evacuation from anywhere in the world. The benefit is a good one. We have friends who have used it. Dues are $40/year. Consult the FMCA website for further information.

(Applies for both RV and other modes of travel)

Edited July 21, 2016 by PNW Traveler

[PTAngel]

I have been reading these posts about insurance for awhile. My question is, when you are at a medical care facility in a foreign country where they want money up front what happens if you don't have the money? Do they hold you for ransom, what happens? You need to get home to get access to money but they won't let you go. It sounds like a catch 22 type thing. I know I don't carry much cash with me & I'm sorry but I don't have thousands of dollars in my checking account to pay. What do I do???

 

I know this is a silly & possibly exaggerated question but I would like to know what expect. I do buy travel insurance when I cruise.

Edited July 21, 2016 by PTAngel

[famski740]

Last September I was on the Freedom of the Seas and got sick from the pool. I went to the medical center and the doctor cleaned my clogged ears and gave me medicine for my sinuses. I received a bill and it was charged to my account.

 

When I got home I sent the bill to Medicare with a claim form and they denied the claim because "Services provided aboard a ship are covered only when the ship is of United States registry and is in United States waters. In addition, the service must be provided by a doctor licensed to practice in the United States."

 

I then submitted all of this paperwork to Tricare For Life, which is my secondary insurance since I am retired military and they denied for the same reasons.

 

Luckily I had gotten Royal Caribbean Cruise Care and I contacted them and they sent me their forms and I submitted all the above paperwork to them and they sent me a check for the entire amount.

[MADflyer]

I have been reading these posts about insurance for awhile. My question is, when you are at a medical care facility in a foreign country where they want money up front what happens if you don't have the money? Do they hold you for ransom, what happens? You need to get home to get access to money but they won't let you go. It sounds like a catch 22 type thing. I know I don't carry much cash with me & I'm sorry but I don't have thousands of dollars in my checking account to pay. What do I do???

 

I know this is a silly & possibly exaggerated question but I would like to know what expect. I do buy travel insurance when I cruise.

 

Royal Caribbean has a port agent in each of the ports they visit. One of the duties of the port agent is to assist with any form of medical emergency for passengers or crew.

 

The system in place and whether it is private or public care is going to vary substantially between destination.

 

I am a dual national and if traveling as a Swede, I am covered often through reciprocal agreements for medical care. If traveling as an American I would often be asked for my credit card. When I was a Swiss resident, where they have a completely private system, I would call Switzerland and be pre-approved for care. The international agreements in most countries of the world also restrict the amount of payment needed.

 

As the USA has really no system in place for medical care abroad, I would only recommend travel while carrying a separate travel insurance, whether it be an annual plan or a trip specific plan.

[MommaBear55]

Yes, we have AARP/UHC plan" F" and if covers 80% while you're traveling overseas. The coverage is for the 1st 60 days and has a $250 deductible & a lifetime limit of $50,000. Also, from Money magazine, Medicare coverage is applicable on cruise ships within 6 hours of a US port.

 

Medicare A and B covers you only on US flagged ships with US licensed doctors within 6 hours of a US port. This may cover care on Pride of America if they have US doctors, but otherwise you do not have US coverage. There may be a few small cruise companies for which this is true, but none of the biggies. You are covered in the USVI and Puerto Rico, since they are US territories, but evacuation would not necessarily be covered. They would provide ambulance for ground or air to the nearest appropriate facility, but not to your home.

[Desert Cruizers]

We recently purchased our travel insurance through our RV Insurance. My husbands federal Plan will cover us to a point but we get the extra which includes our adult daughter should she travel with us through their family plan and we pay yearly not monthly

Edited July 22, 2016 by Desert Cruizers

[pspercy]

Medigap supplemental insurance only pays the extra 20% of a medical expense when Medicare pays the 80% of that expense. Since Medicare does not pay for overseas medical expenses Medigap also does not pay.

 

Not always true.

 

We have a medigap policy via a prior employer and foreign travel is covered.

 

We almost always buy a trip specific policy mainly for enhanced medevac coverage.

Most often we go thru' insuremytrip.com. They are very helpful.

[shippmates]

When my husband was discharged from a hospital in Dominican Republic(airlifted from Labadee) we had to pay the $5,000 remaining after the guaranteed amount from the travel insurance before they would allow us to leave. Our choices were a credit card, cash, or call someone that could send the money to western union for us to pick up. I highly recommend you travel with a credit card with several thousand dollars credit limit. I know that some people do not like to have credit cards but you should have one just for emergencies.

[iSailor]

When my husband was discharged from a hospital in Dominican Republic(airlifted from Labadee) we had to pay the $5,000 remaining after the guaranteed amount from the travel insurance before they would allow us to leave. Our choices were a credit card, cash, or call someone that could send the money to western union for us to pick up. I highly recommend you travel with a credit card with several thousand dollars credit limit. I know that some people do not like to have credit cards but you should have one just for emergencies.

 

On last February,my travel companion was sick and hospitalized in London.All I need was a few phone calls and emailing with the travel insurance.

We were flow back home with a sky nurse that arranged by Medjet.

There was no paper work.

My Advise is never leave home without Travel insurance.

Edited July 22, 2016 by iSailor

[4774Papa]

We are over 65 and of course by law have Medicare Part A. However, since I have Blue Cross/Blue Shield from my former employer, I declined Medicare Part B.

 

Blue Cross covers you while overseas.

 

We lived overseas 25 years ago and it covered us in Germany.

 

We still buy trip insurance for cancellation and medical evacuation, etc.

[katiel53]

My medigap insurance doesn't cover anything that isn't covered by Medicare and since Medicare doesn't cover travel outside the US, I buy cruise insurance.

 

I get insurance that has a high amount of evacuation coverage in the event I need to be evacuated from the ship. It is extremely costly for that.

 

Something to consider if you have older parents. We started purchasing insurance so that if something happened to our parents, we would be able to cancel our trip if necessary, or if on the trip, get home quickly.

 

It's worth the price of the insurance for peace of mind. I look at it as part of the cruise cost, not as an extra. If you don't mind losing the money for the cruise if you have to cancel after FP or have a non-refundable amount, you can get insurance for evacuation or other coverage that meets your specific.

 

We get our insurance through Insuremytrip. Works for us and I have had to use it a few times.

[KeywestK]

I have spent the better part of this week researching insurance options for an upcoming land trip that will take us almost 7,000 miles from home. Insuremytrip.com has been my go-to resource for all of our travels over the years because we can compare all of our options and determine what the best policy will be for any given situation. The single most important feature you need to consider, in addition to medical coverage is medical evacuation. Medicare and gap insurance just won't cut it. Travel insurance is well worth the expense if only for the peace of mind.

[mollyeilis]

MIL has schedule F through aarp/uhc as well. Specifically because it covers as much as possible including out of the U.S.

 

Though I'm starting to think travel insurance would be a better idea going forward; but I have to look into the lesser supplementals for her, since she says she doesn't want to travel abroad (not even home to Korea) anymore.

 

 

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[rockdoctor]

Typically, Medicare Advantage Plans allow some drug company discount cards and ship board medical expenses to be honored. You will have to pay up front but you will be reimbursed. They even pick up Tamiflu for spouse. Check with your HR Department.

[July4]

I asked our insurance agent in May about this and this is the response. I have a Aetna plan and DW has a Connecticare plan. As a follow up, she said also applies on cruise ship if visit doctor there.

 

"You have unlimited world wide coverage for emergency care without Medical Evacuation. Penny has $50,000 of world wide coverage without Medicare Evacuation. Please note that you must use emergency rooms. If you pay the bill we will submit manually for refund of expenses less the $75.00 co-pay for emergency care. "