Medicare coverage when traveling: What to know.

Traveling during your 'golden years' can be exciting and enriching. You finally have the time to take more extended vacations and kick back and relax. Someting you may not have been able to do while still working. You likely spent weeks or even months planning. However, one important part of planning travel can be ensuring medical coverage.

Medical emergencies can happen anywhere, and Medicare coverage doesn't typically extend outside the U.S. except in specific situations outlined by Medicare.gov. To qualify for Medicare Parts A and B, you must be in a U.S. port or no more than six hours away from one when you get the services. In most cases, it's worth considering purchasing travel insurance. When deciding on a policy, ensure that you understand its limitations on prolonged care. Travel insurance is typically designed for short-term emergency medical treatment to facilitate your return home. So, it's essential to understand everything that is and isn't covered in case an emergency should arise for you or your loved ones.

Before your next trip, assess your health risks, review your insurance coverage, and consider any potential gaps. Being prepared ensures that unexpected medical emergencies and the costs associated with care or return to the United States don't make an already unexpected situation even more frustrating.

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