In today's episode, Adam talks about how Medicare works when you are traveling. This is one of the most popular questions in our workshops too! Find out what is covered from Tucson to Tokyo so your travel is not interrupted with worry about coverage. Do you need more coverage than what Medicare offers? Tune in to find out.
In today's episode, Adam talks about how Medicare works when you are traveling. This is one of the most popular questions in our workshops too! Find out what is covered from Tucson to Tokyo so your travel is not interrupted with worry about coverage. Do you need more coverage than what Medicare offers? Tune in to find out.
Welcome back everyone! Today's episode is an important one for all my wanderlusts out there! We’re shining the educational spotlight on a very popular question we hear around here at American Retirement Advisors! How can I use my Medicare while I’m traveling!?
There’s a couple different types of travel we’ll talk about and obviously there’s more than one kind of plan when it comes to Medicare, we’ve got a lot to go over, so buckle up!
Let’s discuss travel inside the United States first!
So, let’s say you have a Medicare Advantage Plan. You’ve just left your home city to visit your Aunt IRMAA in Bugtussle, Kentucky (yes that’s a real city name) and Oh No! You slipped at the airport right after you walked out of baggage claim! One thing you shouldn’t have to worry about is whether or not that emergency is going to be covered by your Medicare Advantage plans. You see, on Medicare Advantage Plans emergency room and urgent care visits are covered on your plan, anywhere in the country! That’s right! That means if you’re feeling sick in Nimrod, Minnesota or Ketchup Town, South Carolina (all real city names, by the way) you can head right to the urgent care or emergency room and receive treatment. The Medicare Advantage Plan cannot require you to see an in network provider in that situation, you don’t need any referrals, there are limits on how much they are even allowed to bill you for that type of situation and they must cover medically necessary follow-up care related to that emergency if delaying the care would endanger your health!
Now let’s talk about some other care you can receive when you’re away from home! Medicare Advantage plans, if you’ll remember, can come in HMO’s and PPO’S. PPO’s will allow you to receive medical care outside of emergency and urgent care when you’re out of network but typically at a higher cost than seeing an in network provider. HMO’s you’re going to be restricted to your network outside of emergency and urgent care. The good news is that more and more HMO’s are using national networks! That means that you may be able to find care when you’re traveling!
Ok, but what if you have a Medicare Supplement Plan and you need to see a doctor in Knockmestiff, Ohio (also, a real place)? That’s an easy one! If you’ve seen my episode on Medicare Supplement Plans, you’ll remember that those plans are NOT HMO’S or PPO’S. In other words, you’re not restricted to a network at all! You can go to any doctor or hospital in the United states and get the exact same coverage as you have at home.
Let’s move on to travel outside the United States.
Typically, Medicare doesn’t cover you when you’re traveling outside the USA. You might have coverage on a cruise ship depending on where it’s located in territorial waters. Foreign hospitals and healthcare providers aren’t required to file claims to medicare for your costs while you’re traveling, so you’ll be responsible for 100% of the bills when you get your service. Then you’ll have to submit those bills and receipts to Medicare on your own. And if they need to be translated, that’s an expense you’ll have to cover as well. Medicare then determines what they’re going to pay for. According to Medicare, your supplement plan will cover foreign travel emergency care if it begins during the first 60 days of your trip and if medicare doesn’t otherwise cover the care. They’ll also pay 80% of the billed charges for certain medically necessary emergency care outside the US after you meet a $250 deductible for the year.
For Medicare Advantage Plans, depending on which plan you have, they may cover some of your emergency expenses but it’s always recommended you take a look at, and pick up some travel insurance before you head overseas.
For both Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement, it’s always recommended that check with the carrier before traveling to find out the specifics of your coverage details and limits.
American Retirement Advisors recommends travel insurance first for travel outside the country! Certified Medicare Planners are standing by to review options and help you understand the coverage and guide you in the right direction, let them help you create a game plan for a stress free trip!
I hope all that information will help you next time you’re thinking about traveling in or outside the United States. Also, if you’re going to be traveling at all, remember to wear a mask, use hand sanitizer, and STAY SAFE! Thank you so much for tuning in, don’t forget to like this video, follow our page, and share with all your friends! But most importantly, have a great week!