Healthcare is at top of mind for many Americans, especially older travelers who are looking to journey abroad.
For those on Medicare, many may not be aware of the fact that Medicare does not cover your medical expenses when traveling outside of the United States and its territories.
If you rely on Medicare for medical coverage and plan to travel internationally, you will need a travel insurance plan to cover you for any accidents, injuries or medical care while you are on your trip.
What You Will Learn in This Guide:
- Why Medicare coverage stops at U.S. borders and why this creates a critical insurance gap for international travelers
- The specific limitations of Medicare Supplement Plans (Medigap) when traveling abroad, including coverage caps and percentage limitations
- How to evaluate and select between comprehensive travel insurance vs. travel medical insurance based on your specific health needs
Does Medicare Cover Medical Treatment While Traveling?
When you have Medicare, you can get necessary medical care from almost any doctor or hospital while traveling anywhere within the U.S. and its territories. However, it's important to remember that Medicare coverage has certain limitations when you travel internationally. These U.S. territories include:
- The U.S. Virgin Islands
- Puerto Rico
- American Samoa
- The U.S. Northern Mariana Islands (including Saipan, Rota, Tinian, and others)
- Guam
Outside the United States, even in Mexico and Canada, your medical treatment is not covered by Medicare, so you must have a travel insurance plan that covers your medical expenses abroad.
Why Should Seniors on Medicare Get Travel Insurance?
Seniors on Medicare should secure a travel insurance plan because, without it, they may have to pay out-of-pocket for emergency medical expenses that may occur while abroad. Since Medicare is only valid in the U.S. and its territories, a third-party travel insurance plan is extremely beneficial for seniors.
Medicare Supplement Plans Are Not Overseas Travel Health Insurance
Many seniors in the U.S. purchase Medicare supplement plans to cover the gaps in their Medicare. However, those plans purchased from private insurance providers may not cover foreign medical emergencies. Even if they do offer coverage, there may be limitations on the benefits of coverage. Medicare Advantage plans also have restrictive lifetime limits. It is safe to say not to count on Medicare or your Medicare supplement plan to cover you when you travel outside the U.S. A Medicare supplement plan isn't the same as overseas travel health insurance.
Medicare Plans Do Not Include Evacuation or Repatriation
If a U.S. senior is traveling internationally, they may not be able to receive the same level of care they would back in the U.S. An emergency medical evacuation can easily cost over $50,000, depending on how far the traveler has to be transported and their medical condition. Neither Medicare nor any Medicare supplement plan has coverage for emergency medical evacuations or repatriation.
What Are the Travel Insurance Benefits for Seniors on Medicare?
Like most people enrolled in Medicare, you're likely 65 or older, and may have medical conditions that require prescription medication or special care.
For these reasons, it's crucial that you look for some specific benefits on a travel insurance plan. We have listed the key benefits that seniors on Medicare should look out for.
Pre-existing Conditions Coverage
There are two ways a pre-existing condition could be covered. One way is the acute onset of pre-existing conditions. This benefit is key for any person with a health condition that could flare up while abroad. Acute onset of pre-existing conditions is effective if you have an unexpected reoccurrence of a symptom associated with a chronic condition such as diabetes, arthritis or a heart condition. Most of the time, you will see this benefit in travel medical insurance plans.
Meanwhile, trip insurance is able to cover a pre-existing condition through a pre-existing conditions waiver, offered by many trip insurance plans through VisitorsCoverage. This waiver is available if you purchase your trip insurance within 14-21 days of your initial trip deposit. You also must insure all prepaid, nonrefundable expenses, and you must be medically stable at the time of purchase.
Comprehensive Coverage
As opposed to limited coverage, comprehensive travel insurance plans can cover 100% of costs (after the deductible is met) rather than a set dollar amount or smaller percentage of your health bill. If you could have high medical bills, comprehensive coverage is a prudent choice. You usually find this kind of coverage in travel medical insurance, but it's often missing from your regular trip insurance policies.
Emergency Medical Evacuation and Repatriation
If you're traveling on a cruise or to a remote area, including mountain resorts, emergency medical evacuation can be crucial to your survival if you have a medical emergency. Unfortunately, it can also be very expensive. For example, if you need to take a helicopter to the nearest medical facility or be airlifted to a larger hospital, these kinds of transfers can cost upwards of $500,000 without insurance.
Similarly, if your mortal remains need to be returned home to your family, it can be prohibitively expensive. If you end up in one of these situations, this benefit can protect you and your loved ones from extreme costs. Both trip insurance and travel medical insurance can cover emergency medical evacuation and repatriation.
24-hour Emergency Assistance
Many plans include a service helpline that you may call if you need help with your plan or how to best utilize your benefits. This can also help you determine whether something is covered by your plan or not. However, if you're in an emergency situation, be sure to call the local emergency services (911 in the U.S.) rather than this type of helpline.
What Are the Best Travel Insurance Plans for Seniors on Medicare?
If you’re looking for the best travel insurance plan as a senior on Medicare, you’ll want to look for a plan that offers adequate coverage abroad and the benefits listed above to keep you well protected during your trip.
GlobeHopper Senior
One plan to check out is GlobeHopper Senior, a travel medical insurance plan specifically designed for travelers on medicare. This comprehensive coverage plan covers acute onset of pre-existing conditions and all of the other important points listed above.
Where Can I Find the Best Travel Insurance?
The best travel insurance plans can be found by using a comparison tool like VisitorsCoverage to view plans side-by-side. That way, you can make a more informed insurance decision based on your needs. With VisitorsCoverage’s quote tool, you can get a cost estimate and secure travel insurance within minutes. Plus, you can get customized coverage for your journey.
- Medicare generally doesn't provide coverage outside the U.S. and its territories, making travel insurance essential for international trips
- Even Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans offer only limited international coverage with significant restrictions
- Comprehensive travel medical insurance for seniors should include coverage for pre-existing conditions, emergency medical evacuation, and medical expenses
Have any questions? Reach out to our experienced travel insurance specialists, who are always ready to answer your questions and can even guide you in finding the right travel insurance for you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Travel Insurance for Seniors on Medicare
Do I need travel insurance if I already have Medicare?
Yes. Medicare coverage typically will not extend past the United States and its territories. Even if you have Medicare Supplement plans, they still may provide little to no coverage abroad. Without travel insurance, you would have to pay for medical expenses out-of-pocket, which can be expensive depending on the emergency.
Does Medicare Supplement (Medigap) provide coverage when traveling?
No. Standard Medicare rarely covers medical care abroad. Some Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Plans C, D, F, G, M, and N provide limited foreign travel emergency coverage with a $250 deductible, 80% coverage, and a lifetime limit of $50,000. Some Medicare Advantage plans include basic emergency coverage outside the U.S., but with significant limitations.
For comprehensive protection during international travel, dedicated senior travel insurance is strongly recommended to fill the gaps in your Medicare coverage.
What's the difference between travel insurance and travel medical insurance?
Travel insurance is a broader plan that typically includes trip cancellation/interruption, baggage loss/delay, travel delays, and some medical coverage. It primarily protects your trip investment, with some medical coverage.
Travel medical insurance for seniors on Medicare focuses specifically on healthcare coverage while traveling, including high coverage limits, emergency medical treatment, hospital stays, evacuation, and some trip cancellation and lost luggage coverage.
For international travel, seniors on Medicare should prioritize adequate medical coverage, whether through comprehensive travel insurance for seniors or a standalone medical travel insurance for seniors policy, since Medicare rarely covers care abroad.
Does travel medical insurance cover pre-existing conditions?
While pre-existing conditions are typically excluded from travel medical insurance plans, there are some plans that can offer limited coverage for pre-existing conditions.
How much is travel insurance for seniors?
The cost of your travel insurance plan will depend on a number of factors, including your age, destination, length of trip, plan benefits, and more. You can typically expect to pay anywhere from 4% to 10% of your total trip costs on travel insurance.
Is there an age limit for purchasing travel insurance?
Sometimes. Age can affect both the availability and cost of travel insurance for seniors. While many standard travel policies have upper age limits, specialized senior travel insurance have higher limits or none at all. Premiums typically increase significantly after age 70 and again after 80.
Despite the higher cost, the financial security of travel insurance remains essential for older travelers. This is due to the greater health risks they face, the potential for high medical expenses, and the higher coverage limits provided by these policies.
What travel insurance benefits do seniors on Medicare need?
When looking for a travel insurance plan as a senior, look for plans that offer comprehensive coverage, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation of remains, and coverage for the acute onset of pre-existing conditions to ensure you are well protected throughout your travels.
If I am traveling alone and become seriously ill, will someone help contact my family at home?
If you become seriously ill while traveling alone, the 24/7 assistance services provided by your travel insurance can help you contact your family and emergency contacts. They may also arrange for a family member to travel to your location if necessary.
