Does Medicare cover travel insurance?
Usually not covered
Medicare does not sell or pay for travel insurance, and Original Medicare generally does not cover care outside the United States — a few Medigap plans add limited foreign-travel emergency coverage.
- Covered when You have a Medigap plan with the foreign travel emergency benefit — it covers a portion of emergency care abroad, up to a lifetime cap, after its deductible.
- Covered when You have a Medicare Advantage plan — some include limited worldwide emergency coverage; check your plan's Evidence of Coverage.
- Not when You rely on Original Medicare alone abroad — foreign care is generally not covered outside a few narrow exceptions.
What flips the answer
- Covered when
You have a Medigap plan with the foreign travel emergency benefit — it covers a portion of emergency care abroad, up to a lifetime cap, after its deductible.
- Covered when
You have a Medicare Advantage plan — some include limited worldwide emergency coverage; check your plan's Evidence of Coverage.
- Not covered when
You rely on Original Medicare alone abroad — foreign care is generally not covered outside a few narrow exceptions.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Usually not covered
- Applies to
- travel insurance · Medicare
- Covered when
- You have a Medigap plan with the foreign travel emergency benefit — it covers a portion of emergency care abroad, up to a lifetime cap, after its deductible.
- Not covered when
- You rely on Original Medicare alone abroad — foreign care is generally not covered outside a few narrow exceptions.
- Verified
- 2026-10-10 · 3 primary sources
Travel insurance is a separate commercial product; Medicare neither offers it nor reimburses you for buying it. The real question behind this is usually whether Medicare covers you when you travel.
Inside the U.S. and its territories, Original Medicare travels with you and covers care from any provider that accepts Medicare. Outside the country, Original Medicare almost never pays — there are only a few narrow exceptions, such as an emergency in the U.S. where the nearest hospital is across the border, or on a ship within U.S. territorial waters.
For foreign travel, some Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plans include a foreign travel emergency benefit that covers a share of emergency care abroad, up to a lifetime limit, after a deductible. Some Medicare Advantage plans also add limited worldwide emergency coverage. Many travelers buy a separate travel medical policy to fill the gap.
What people typically pay
With a Medigap foreign travel emergency benefit, you typically pay a deductible plus a share of the approved emergency charges (the participating plans cover 80% up to plan limits, leaving you the rest), and coverage stops once you hit the plan limit. With a Medicare Advantage plan that includes worldwide emergency coverage, you'd generally pay the plan's emergency copay or coinsurance — amounts vary by plan.
With Original Medicare alone abroad, you generally pay all of the costs out of pocket in most cases. A foreign hospital stay, emergency, or medical evacuation can be very expensive, though actual amounts vary widely.
Actual amounts vary enormously by country, the care needed, your specific plan, and whether you also carry a separate travel medical policy.
How to actually get it covered
Check the plan letter on your Medigap card. Plans C, D, F, G, M, and N include a foreign travel emergency benefit that pays 80% of emergency care abroad up to the plan's limits; Plans A, B, K, and L don't. Medicare.gov's Medigap benefit chart shows which letters carry it.
If you're in Medicare Advantage, read the Evidence of Coverage for 'worldwide emergency' or 'urgent care abroad' coverage, the dollar limit, and how claims are filed — you'll usually pay the foreign provider and submit for reimbursement.
Buy a separate travel medical policy if you'll be abroad without one of those benefits, and make sure it covers medical evacuation — neither Medicare nor Medigap pays to fly you home.
Know the narrow exceptions where Original Medicare does pay outside the U.S.: an emergency where the nearest hospital is across the border, care on a cruise ship in U.S. territorial waters or within 6 hours of a U.S. port, and travel through Canada between Alaska and another state when a Canadian hospital is closest. Medicare.gov's travel page lists the exact conditions.
Carry itemized receipts and medical records home with you. Medigap foreign claims are filed by you, after you've paid, and the insurer will want the diagnosis, the dates, and the itemized bill — ideally in English.
Common questions
If I have Original Medicare only, does it ever pay for care I get in another country?
Almost never. There are a few narrow exceptions — for example, an emergency inside the U.S. where a foreign hospital is closer than the nearest U.S. one, or care on a ship within U.S. territorial waters. For a typical vacation abroad, plan on Original Medicare paying nothing toward foreign care.
How does the Medigap foreign travel emergency benefit actually work?
On the Medigap plans that include it, the benefit covers a portion of emergency care after you meet a deductible, and only up to a plan limit. The benefit covers a percentage of the approved amount, so you're still responsible for the rest. Plans C, D, F, G, M, and N include foreign travel emergency coverage (covering 80% up to plan limits); not all Medigap plans include this benefit, so check your specific plan's letter.
Does a Medicare Advantage plan cover me when I travel outside the country?
Some Medicare Advantage plans add limited worldwide emergency or urgent care coverage, but it is not guaranteed and varies widely between plans. The only way to know is to read your plan's Evidence of Coverage or call the member number on your card. Routine, non-emergency care abroad is generally not covered even when emergency coverage is included.
Should I buy a separate travel medical policy on top of Medicare?
Many travelers do, because Medicare's foreign coverage is limited. Medicare itself notes that because it has limited travel medical coverage outside the U.S., you may choose to buy a travel insurance policy for more coverage. It's a commercial product bought separately — Medicare will not reimburse you for the premium. Keep in mind that travel insurance doesn't necessarily include health insurance, so read the conditions carefully.
Is medical evacuation from another country covered?
Original Medicare generally won't pay for services like return trips home after a covered stay, and its foreign coverage is very limited overall. Emergency transport back to the U.S. can be very expensive out of pocket. Travelers who want this protection often buy a separate travel policy that specifically includes evacuation coverage — check any policy's terms, since coverage varies.
That's the general answer. Yours is written in your plan's own document.
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