Medicare and foreign travel

[EJ33333]

Does that mean Medicare won't cover me if I'm in a port of call in Canada travelling on a New England cruise?

 

If that's true I had no idea.

 

That's why I subscribe and follow cruise critic.

 

And also I better get medical and evac insurance.

 

Thanks for all the advice.

[Bars7816]

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.

Same here.

 

"Also, from Money magazine, Medicare coverage is applicable on cruise ships within 6 hours of a US port." This is news to me!! I'll have to check it out.

 

I do not trust Medicare Supplementals to cover anything unusual. Their favorite line is, "we can only do what Medicare tells us."

[Coralc]

Does that mean Medicare won't cover me if I'm in a port of call in Canada travelling on a New England cruise?

 

If that's true I had no idea.

 

That's why I subscribe and follow cruise critic.

 

And also I better get medical and evac insurance.

 

Thanks for all the advice.

 

When we took my mom on an Alaska cruise out of Vancouver, I told her that if she fell ill she was going to have to wait until we reached Alaska where her Medicare coverage was available. :D

 

I did eventually purchase Cruise Care for her...and then we all had to take it.

[lucymorgan]

I have annual travel insurance which insures my family for many things including lost baggage, return for family illness, medical evacuation for $517 Australian Dollars per year.

 

Travel insurance insures you for more than just your own medical expenses.

[lakelorain]

We have medicare A&B plus Blue Cross/Blue Shield and also carry an annual travel insurance policy through Allianz. It not only covers our cruises and flights but also any other travel we do throughout the year. The price and coverage available varies by state.

[Turtles06]

Relatedly, since it seems that some of the posters above are not aware of this, most health care insurance in the U.S. does not cover medical costs incurred abroad. (I'm not talking about Medicare here, I'm talking about the plans that most folks younger than 65 have.) This is another good reason to buy travel insurance.

[jamesr3939]

I just researched this for some upcoming travel. My MedCare Supplemental Policy (AARP) Plan F will cover 80% of whatever would be covered by MedCare, in the US. As we all know, MedCare won't cover anything outside the US. I wasn't aware of the six hour rule, but that's not really applicable for much of our travel.

 

DW (not 65 yet) checked her Kaiser policy and it will also reimburse 80% during foreign travel.

 

I am guessing we have to front the money and then hope for reimbursement as I doubt there is a worldwide universal health insurance that's accepted everywhere.

 

I figure with the 80% and a Medjet policy we should be in pretty good shape.

Edited July 24, 2016 by jamesr3939

[payitforward]

There is no "universal answer" to this question. All plans -even the Medicare Advantage Plans - are different, and change from year-to-year. That's why they have open enrollment every year, and we can shop around to see which plan best meets our needs. Then, the OP is asking this question for TEN YEARS down the road! Who knows what changes there will be to the Medicare program, insurance laws and health care in general in that amount of time?

 

The only real answer is "When the time comes, carefully research what is, or is not included in each plan." If none of them offer the kind of coverage you need, look into the annual travel insurance plans.

[payitforward]

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.

 

1.) I've been told I'm not eligible for any of the drug company discount cards because I have Medicare. If caught using one (and paying cash instead of going through insurance), I could lose my benefits all together.

 

2.) People on Medicare Advantage plans are usually retired or disabled. Therefore, they don't have an HR Department.

[LovesCruising]

We have medicare A&B plus Blue Cross/Blue Shield and also carry an annual travel insurance policy through Allianz. It not only covers our cruises and flights but also any other travel we do throughout the year. The price and coverage available varies by state.

 

As stated depends on your policy - most will not cover foreign travel - the above post is being covered for medical by Allianz. Best bet is to purchase travel insurance w/medical coverage

[CptSticky]

My Medicare Advantage covers emergency but not urgent care outside the US. So I bought an annual GeoBlue. It covers urgent and evacuation. At our ages (mid 60's) it was very reasonable but will start to rise in a couple of years. I can afford to lose any particular cruise so I don't see the value of insuring on an individual basis and with the number of cruises that we take would not be a good value.

 

 

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[DebJ14]

My Medicare Advantage covers emergency but not urgent care outside the US. So I bought an annual GeoBlue. It covers urgent and evacuation. At our ages (mid 60's) it was very reasonable but will start to rise in a couple of years. I can afford to lose any particular cruise so I don't see the value of insuring on an individual basis and with the number of cruises that we take would not be a good value.

 

 

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Neither the single trip, nor Trekker plan is available in our state from Geo Blue.

[CptSticky]

Neither the single trip, nor Trekker plan is available in our state from Geo Blue.

 

 

Don't you hate that. I don't understand why policies can not be sold in some states.

 

 

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[RVRoadie]

Don't you hate that. I don't understand why policies can not be sold in some states.

 

 

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Insurance is regulated at the state level. Without state approval, companies can't offer their products. I guess some states are so strict that it isn't feasible for some companies.

[jamesr3939]

There is no "universal answer" to this question. All plans -even the Medicare Advantage Plans - are different

 

technically true but inaccurate. Medicare Advantage can be different. Medicare Supplemental plans are the same. So a plan F is a plan F no matter whom you get it from. Advantage plans replace Medicare entirely where supplemental is just that. It picks up what Medicare doesn't. Including foreign medical treatment that would otherwise be covered by Medicare.

[griffy116]

I'm on Medicare and I never cruise without Travel Insurance. If you have to have air transport the cost is unthinkable. I just consider it part of the cost of being able to cruise. Medicare gap, as many have pointed out won't help you, and yes...it means you aren't covered in Canada either. I just tell our TA to add it to the invoice and suck it up. Better safe than sorry.

[xxoocruiser]

It's always perplexing :confused: why someone would post a question on CC asking as to what Medicare covers regarding Foreign Travel rather than actually going to the proper source Medicare.gov .

 

Here's the link and note it specifically addresses cruises. https://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/11037.pdf

 

Bottom line... Medicare Foreign Coverage is extremely limited at best. If the medical emergency is lucky enough to fall into one of the 3 exceptions listed in the link above Medicare does not cover evacuation costs, the cost of someone to stay with you and or repatriation costs which can be exorbitant Also keep in my when purchasing a Travel Insurance Plan it has to be purchased within a specific period of time ( on average 10-14 days depending on policy) from the date of the initial booking to have any pre-existing conditions waived.

Edited August 1, 2016 by xxoocruiser

[jamesr3939]

Seems we might be comparing apples with oranges. Medical treatment and medical transport are two different things.

 

All transport plans (MedJet) I have seen require you to have been admired to a hospital (foreign or domestic) prior to begin transported. So by necessity you will have incurred a medical treatment expense of some type.

 

Medical treatment plans will be the responsibility of your medical insurance plan, whomever that might be or you.

 

In my case Medicare (zero) my supplement plan 80%. DW has Kaiser who will cover 80%. All of which are reimbursable so I must front the money.