Situations That Make Medicare Insurance Active Outside The United States
As explained before, Medicare insurance is only active within the United States and its territory. Outside this region, it is inactive and can not be used. There are some situations that allow insurance to be accepted abroad. These situations include:
- You live in the United States but during the case of an emergency, you are closer to a hospital that is located outside the United States. When you are rushed to this hospital, they attend to you immediately and you are covered by your Medicare plan.
- You live in the United States but the closest hospital to you that can treat your condition is located outside the United States. In situations like this, your Medicare plan covers the cost of your treatment.
- On your way to Alaska, you travel through Canada and you are in need of an emergency. If a Canadian hospital is closer to you than a U.S. hospital, Medicare covers the cost of your treatment in the Canadian hospital.
- You are on a ship in the United States territorial waters and you need an emergency. Medicare covers your expenses when you are six hours away from the U.S. port.
In all of these situations, Medicare covers the cost of your treatment even though the hospitals are not located in the United States. However, you should note that Medicare does not cover the prescription of drugs outside the U.S.
Does Medigap Cover International Travel?
Medicare supplement or Medigap [3] usually adds a foreign travel benefit and covers up to 80% of your medical expenses during the case of an emergency outside the United States. First, you have to pay about $250 as deductibles and the case of an emergency must occur within 60 days after your trip. The lifetime limit provided by Medigap is $50,000.