What Original Medicare Covers Outside the U.S.
Original Medicare means Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) run by the federal government. Once you leave the country, it mostly stops paying. Medicare.gov’s travel page is direct about it: you pay all of the costs, in most cases.
For Medicare, “outside the U.S.” means anywhere other than the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands. So a Hawaii trip is covered the same as a trip to Boise; a week in Mexico, Canada or Europe is not.
Medicare lists a few narrow exceptions where Part A may pay for an inpatient stay in a foreign hospital:
- You are in the U.S. when an emergency happens, and a foreign hospital is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat you.
- You are driving between Alaska and another state through Canada by the most direct route without unreasonable delay, have an emergency, and a Canadian hospital is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat you.
- You live in the U.S. and a foreign hospital is closer to your home than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat your condition, emergency or not.
In those cases, Part B covers doctor and ambulance services immediately before and during the covered stay, and you still pay your usual deductibles and coinsurance. Medicare generally will not pay for services like a return ambulance trip home. On a cruise ship, Part B may pay for medically necessary care if the doctor is legally allowed to practice on the ship and the ship is in a U.S. port, or no more than 6 hours from one, when you get the care. Foreign hospitals are not required to file Medicare claims, so you may need to submit an itemized bill yourself.
Medigap Foreign Travel Emergency Coverage
A Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy is private insurance that helps pay your share of Original Medicare costs. Some Medigap plans also include a foreign travel emergency benefit, one of the few places a Medicare-related policy pays for care abroad. Here is the 2026 picture from Medicare.gov’s plan comparison chart:
| Medigap plan | Foreign travel emergency (up to plan limits) |
|---|---|
| Plan A | Not covered |
| Plan B | Not covered |
| Plan C | 80% |
| Plan D | 80% |
| Plan F | 80% |
| Plan G | 80% |
| Plan K | Not covered |
| Plan L | Not covered |
| Plan M | 80% |
| Plan N | 80% |
Medicare’s fact sheet on coverage outside the U.S. (April 2026) spells out the limits on that benefit:
- 80% of billed charges for certain medically necessary emergency care outside the U.S.
- After a $250 deductible for the year. Medicare’s 2026 Medigap guide notes the high-deductible versions of Plans F and G also have this separate $250 deductible for foreign travel care.
- A $50,000 lifetime limit. That is the total over your lifetime, not per trip.
- Only emergencies that begin during the first 60 days of your trip, and only when Medicare does not otherwise cover the care.
Plans C and F can only be bought by people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. Older Plans E, H, I and J are no longer sold, but people who kept them still have foreign travel emergency coverage. The benefit is a real help, but it is limited to emergencies, and the fact sheet does not describe any medical evacuation benefit. If you are weighing a Medigap plan, our Medicare Supplement page and the guide to Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap in Idaho walk through the trade-offs.
Medicare Advantage and Part D Abroad
A Medicare Advantage plan (Part C) is a private plan that replaces Original Medicare for your coverage. Medicare’s fact sheet says these plans must follow Medicare’s rules, including for care outside the U.S., but a plan may cover additional services abroad. Some do include emergency or urgent care benefits outside the country; others do not, and limits differ. The only reliable answer is your own plan’s Evidence of Coverage or a call to the plan before you book.
For prescriptions, Medicare.gov says drug plans do not cover drugs you buy outside the U.S., so pack enough of your regular medicines for the whole trip. Part D does cover vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, including some you may need before international travel, with no copayment or deductible. Our Part D guide covers how drug plans work at home.
Travelers Under 65
If you have an employer plan, an ACA plan through Your Health Idaho, or another individual policy, do not assume it follows you overseas. The CDC’s travel insurance page says your current medical insurance may not cover care in another country, and that if you need care abroad you will likely need to pay out of pocket. The NAIC adds that most U.S. health plans do not pay for medical evacuation overseas.
Before you go, call the member services number on your card and ask three questions: Does the plan cover emergencies abroad? Are there exclusions, such as for adventure activities? Will I have to pay first and file for reimbursement? A short-term health plan is a different product from travel medical insurance and is not built for trips overseas, so check that distinction too.
What Travel Medical Insurance Covers
The CDC describes three different kinds of travel insurance, and they protect different things:
| Type | What it protects | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Trip cancellation or interruption | Prepaid, non-refundable trip costs if you cancel or cut the trip short for a covered reason | May not include any medical care abroad |
| Travel health (medical) insurance | Doctor visits, emergency care and hospital stays while you travel | Exclusions, such as pre-existing conditions; whether it pays hospitals directly |
| Medical evacuation insurance | Emergency transport to a suitable hospital | Whether it is included or sold separately; 24-hour support |
The CDC notes that emergency transport from a remote area to a high-quality hospital could otherwise cost more than $100,000 (CDC page last updated May 2026). Policies that include repatriation, meaning transport back home or return of remains, describe it in their own terms, so read that section closely. The CDC also suggests looking for a policy that pays hospitals directly and has a 24-hour physician support line. Travel health coverage is especially worth a look, the CDC says, if you have an existing health condition, are traveling for more than 6 months, or plan adventure activities like scuba diving.
Our travel insurance page explains how we compare both trip and travel medical coverage for Idaho travelers.
Pre-Existing Conditions and Exclusions
The NAIC lists pre-existing health conditions among the common exclusions in travel insurance, along with pandemics, civil or political unrest at the destination, pregnancy and childbirth, and risky activities. A pre-existing condition is generally a health problem you had, or were treated for, before the policy started. Many policies decide that by reviewing a set window of your medical history before the coverage date, often called a look-back period. The length and the definition are set by each policy, not by Medicare or the state.
When you compare policies, read these parts word for word:
- How the policy defines a pre-existing condition, including whether a medication change counts.
- How far back it looks, and whether a waiver is available and what you must do to get it.
- Age limits, trip length limits and activity exclusions.
- Whether the medical coverage is primary or secondary to your other insurance. The NAIC describes travel medical insurance as secondary health and accident coverage.
If a condition is likely to need care on the trip, ask the insurer in writing before you buy. This is also where comparing several carriers helps, because definitions differ.
A Pre-Trip Checklist
- Confirm whether your destination counts as outside the U.S. for Medicare.
- If you have Medigap, check your plan letter against the 2026 chart and note the $250 deductible, the 60-day window and the $50,000 lifetime limit.
- If you have Medicare Advantage or an employer or ACA plan, call and ask what it pays abroad, and get the answer in writing if you can.
- Decide whether you need trip cancellation coverage, travel medical coverage, medical evacuation coverage, or a combination.
- Read the pre-existing condition section and any waiver deadline before you buy.
- Pack enough of your regular prescriptions for the whole trip, since Part D does not cover drugs bought abroad.
- Carry your insurance cards, the travel policy’s emergency number, and a list of your medications.
- Save itemized bills and receipts from any care you get abroad; you may need to file the claim yourself.
If you would like a second set of eyes, we can review your current coverage by Zoom or phone, or at our Idaho City office, and compare travel medical options before you leave.
Planning a trip outside the U.S.?
Tell us where you are going and for how long. We will look at what your current coverage does abroad and compare travel medical options in plain words.
Request a free comparison Call 208-350-9933Frequently Asked Questions
Does Original Medicare cover me when I travel outside the U.S.?
In most situations, no. Medicare.gov says you pay all of the costs in most cases, with narrow exceptions such as a foreign hospital that is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital able to treat you, and some care on a cruise ship in or near a U.S. port. Medicare drug plans do not cover prescriptions you buy outside the U.S.
Which Medigap plans include foreign travel emergency coverage?
On Medicare.gov’s 2026 Medigap plan comparison chart, Plans C, D, F, G, M and N pay 80% for foreign travel emergency care, and Plans A, B, K and L do not cover it. Medicare’s April 2026 fact sheet adds a $250 yearly deductible, a $50,000 lifetime limit, and coverage only for emergencies that begin during the first 60 days of a trip.
Does a Medicare Advantage plan cover care abroad?
It depends on the plan. Medicare’s fact sheet says a Medicare Advantage plan may cover additional health care services outside the U.S., and tells members to check with the plan before traveling. Ask your plan in writing what it covers abroad, any dollar limits, and how claims are paid.
What is the difference between travel medical insurance and trip cancellation insurance?
Trip cancellation insurance protects the money you prepaid for the trip if you have to cancel or cut it short for a covered reason. Travel medical insurance pays for medical care if you get sick or hurt while traveling, and medical evacuation coverage pays for emergency transport to a suitable hospital. Depending on the policy, trip cancellation coverage may not include any medical care, so read what each policy actually covers.
Will a travel medical policy cover my pre-existing conditions?
Not always. The NAIC lists pre-existing health conditions among the common exclusions in travel insurance. Read how the policy defines a pre-existing condition, how far back it looks at your medical history, and whether any waiver is available and what it requires.
I am under 65. Does my regular health plan cover me abroad?
Maybe, but often only partly. The CDC notes that your current medical insurance may not cover care in another country, and the NAIC notes that most U.S. health plans do not pay for medical evacuation overseas. Call your insurer before you go and ask about emergencies abroad, exclusions, and how bills are paid.
Related Guides
Coverage pages for this topic: Travel Insurance. Other topics in the Learning Center: Medicare, Health Insurance (ACA), Life Insurance, Final Expense, Annuities, Long-Term Care, Disability Insurance, Supplemental Health, Short-Term Medical.
Sources
- Medicare.gov: Travel outside the U.S.
- Medicare.gov: Medicare Coverage Outside the United States (fact sheet, April 2026)
- Medicare.gov: Compare Medigap plan benefits (2026)
- Medicare.gov: Choosing a Medigap Policy (2026 guide)
- CDC Travelers' Health: Travel Insurance
- NAIC: Travel Insurance
Medigap foreign travel percentages are quoted from Medicare.gov’s 2026 plan comparison chart. The $250 deductible, $50,000 lifetime limit and 60-day rule are from Medicare’s fact sheet dated April 2026. The cruise ship rule and claim rules are from Medicare.gov’s travel page, and the evacuation cost estimate is from the CDC’s travel insurance page, last updated May 2026. We do not quote travel policy prices; they depend on age, trip length, destination and coverage. This guide is general education, not individual advice.