Medicare Doesn’t Cover Medical Care Overseas
In the vast majority of cases, Medicare won’t cover medical costs overseas. Let’s say you’re on a cruise ship and you need medical assistance. If you’re within six hours of a U.S. port, then Medicare will kick in and help cover the costs.
Otherwise, you’ll have to rely on medigap plans. Plans C through G and Plans M and N cover 80% of the costs of emergencies if you are abroad, but there is a lifetime limit of $50,000.
Your other two options are either Medicare Advantage plans or a travel insurance policy. It’s generally a good idea to go for the latter since these typically also cover emergency medical evacuations. These can cost upwards of tens of thousands of dollars- obviously, being transported by plane or helicopter is not cheap, wherever you are on the planet.
Before enrollment even starts make sure to visit the official Medicare website for all the information you need. Read up before it’s too late!
