Health insurance tips for traveling abroad; Savvy Senior
Dear Savvy Senior, How does health insurance and Medicare cover health care outside the
Dear Almost, Great question! No one likes to think about health problems while on vacation, but medical emergencies happen, and your regular insurance may not cover your care when you're traveling abroad. To avoid any expensive surprises, here are some tips to help make sure you're covered.
Your first step is to contact your health insurer to find out exactly what your plan covers when you're traveling abroad.
If you have health coverage through an employer, the
If your plan does provide coverage abroad ask about the specifics, such as whether the plan includes coverage for emergency evacuations to the
If, however, you or your husband has Original Medicare, it does not provide coverage outside the
If you happen to have a Medicare Advantage plan, your coverage outside the
If your policy doesn't provide health coverage outside the
To shop and compare plans, visit sites like www.insuremytrip.com or www.squaremouth.com to give you a general idea of what travel medical insurance costs. A couple in their 60s planning a two-week trip to
You also need to know that most travel medical plans do not cover costs related to a pre-existing health conditions. So if you or your husband has a pre-existing condition that might require medical care, choose a comprehensive travel policy, which typically covers medical care, medical evacuation, trip cancellation, trip interruption and baggage loss, and then tack on a pre-existing-condition waiver.
If you get sick or injured during your trip, call your travel insurer who can recommend local care options. For extra help, consider joining the
If you do have travel medical insurance, and you receive medical care while traveling abroad, you will probably be required to file a claim and show medical records outlining the care you received and receipts. So make sure you get copies of these so you can get reimbursed when you get home.
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