When it’s time to enroll in Medicare, there are many things to consider. Your future travel plans should be one of them. If you’re considering international travel during the next year, it can impact your Medicare decisions.

Medicare itself doesn’t cover healthcare during international travel. However, some Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans may cover certain emergencies if they occur outside the United States. In most cases, though, you’ll need supplemental travel insurance.

If you plan to travel out of the country, you can explore your options to help fill any gaps in your coverage. We’ll explain the available options, including Medicare supplemental plans (Medigap), short-term traveler’s insurance, or long-term coverage through Medicare Advantage.

Medicare is healthcare coverage for Americans age 65 and older. The government program is broken down into four parts:

  • Medicare Part A: Medicare Part A is hospital insurance. It covers you during short-term inpatient hospital stays and for services like hospice. It also provides limited coverage for skilled nursing facility care and certain in-home healthcare services.
  • Medicare Part B: Medicare Part B is medical insurance that covers everyday care needs, like doctor’s appointments, urgent care visits, counseling, medical equipment, and preventive care.
  • Medicare Part C: Medicare Part C is also called Medicare Advantage. These plans combine the coverage of parts A and B and aspects of part D into a single plan. Medicare Advantage plans are offered by private insurance companies and overseen by Medicare.
  • Medicare Part D: Medicare Part D is prescription drug coverage. Part D plans are stand-alone plans that only cover your medications. Private insurance companies also provide these plants.

You aren’t automatically enrolled in these programs. You must sign up during the enrollment period. You can choose the best plans for your healthcare needs.

Most Americans sign up for Medicare parts A and B. To qualify for other Medicare coverage, you must also be enrolled in parts A and B.

Medicare Advantage (Part C) is another way to get your Medicare coverage. Depending on the plan you choose, your plan may include:

Medicare Advantage plans generally limit you to the doctors and facilities within a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) or Preferred Provider Organization (PPO). It may or may not cover out-of-network care.

To buy a Medicare Advantage plan, you must already be enrolled in Medicare parts A and B. Coverage through a Medicare Advantage plan is offered through a private insurance plan.

Medicare Advantage plans may lower your out-of-pocket costs or provide additional coverage, such as when traveling.

There are no rules on whether Medicare Advantage will cover a certain percentage of foreign hospital bills. Therefore, it’s important to check with your insurance carrier before you travel to find out how much, if any, your plan covers international healthcare emergencies.

Medigap is supplemental insurance offered through the Medicare program. It’s different from Medicare Advantage plans in that it doesn’t cover things like:

  • long-term care
  • vision
  • dental
  • hearing aids
  • eyeglasses
  • private-duty nursing

Medigap is another private insurance option within Medicare designed to help cover costs like deductibles, copays, and other medical services not covered by other Medicare parts. You can only purchase a Medigap plan if you have Original Medicare. People with Medicare Advantage plans cannot also purchase a Medigap plan.

Medigap plans provide coverage for care related to medical emergencies that happen while you’re outside the United States. This type of insurance is often used to provide coverage during international travel.

Medigap can also help offset high deductibles and copays for insurance while you travel. Depending on your plan, Medigap may cover up to 80% of international medical emergencies once you’ve met your deductible and are within your policy’s maximum limit.

If you plan on traveling frequently, you may want to pay more upfront for a Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan to cover costs away from your home state or out of the country. Below, we’ll review some of the basic costs for these types of plans in 2024.

Medicare Advantage costs

The plan you choose will determine most of your Medicare Part C costs. However, your lifestyle and financial situation can also impact your costs.

Some of the common costs you can expect to pay with a Medicare Part C plan include:

  • Premiums: Some Medicare Part C plans are “free,” meaning they don’t have a monthly premium. You may still owe a Part B premium even with a zero-premium Medicare Advantage plan. The Part B premium starts at $174.70 per month in 2024.
  • Deductibles: Most Medicare Part C plans have both a plan deductible and a drug deductible. Many (but not all) of the free Medicare Advantage plans offer a $0 plan deductible.
  • Copayments and coinsurance: Copayments are amounts you’ll owe for every doctor’s visit or prescription drug refill. Coinsurance amounts are any percentage of services you must pay out of pocket after meeting your deductible.
  • Out-of-pocket max: All Medicare Advantage plans have an out-of-pocket maximum. This amount varies but can range from the low thousands to upward of $10,000-plus.

Medigap costs

Medigap has many of the same types of costs as Medicare Advantage, but these plans have some key differences. Here is a rundown of the typical fees with a Medigap plan:

  • Premiums: Each Medigap policy has a monthly premium. The exact amount varies by individual policy. Insurance companies can set monthly premiums for their policies in three different ways:
    • Community rated: Everyone who buys the policy pays the same monthly premium regardless of age.
    • Issue-age rated: Monthly premiums are tied to the age at which you first purchase a policy, with younger buyers having lower premiums. Premiums don’t increase as you get older.
    • Attained-age rated: Monthly premiums are tied to your current age. That means your premium will go up as you get older.
  • Deductibles: Medigap itself doesn’t have a separate deductible. However, Medigap Plan F and Plan G offer have a high-deductible option. The monthly premiums for these plans are typically lower, but you’ll have to meet a deductible before they start to cover costs. For 2024, the deductible is $2800 for these plans.
  • Copayments and coinsurance: Medigap doesn’t have its own coinsurance or copays. However, if your Medigap policy doesn’t cover certain coinsurance or copays associated with Original Medicare, you may still have to pay them.
  • Out-of-pocket max: Only Medigap Plan K and Plan L have out-of-pocket limits, which is the maximum amount you’ll have to pay out of pocket. In 2024, the Plan K and Plan L out-of-pocket limits are $7,060 and $3,530, respectively. After you meet the limit, the plan pays for 100% of covered services for the rest of the year.

If you’re on a budget, another option is to obtain supplemental traveler’s insurance. This isn’t medical insurance but a short-term plan that covers emergencies while you’re out of the country. You may also be able to buy short-term insurance through a travel planner.

The catch is that you’ll need to buy the coverage for a specified itinerary ahead of time. You can’t purchase traveler’s insurance once you’ve left the country.

Also, not all supplemental plans cover preexisting conditions. If you have chronic health conditions, be sure to review the exclusions before you purchase travel insurance.

Does Medicare cover you if you travel to Puerto Rico?

Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, so your Medicare plan will cover your travels to the island. Residents of Puerto Rico are also eligible for Medicare.

The same rules apply to other U.S. territories, including:

  • American Samoa
  • Guam
  • The Northern Mariana Islands
  • U.S. Virgin Islands

If you travel, Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans may have advantages over Medicare parts A and B. However, since these are private insurance plans, Medicare Advantage doesn’t automatically cover costs during international travel.

It’s important to review your policy before you travel and consider supplemental coverage with either Medigap or traveler’s insurance if you’re concerned about the potential cost of medical care while you’re out of the country.