Medicare and health benefits?

[Rocketlady]

We are about to go on Medicare soon. I understand if we leave the country we are not covered in health benefits at all? Is that true? And if so what do you do for coverage while on the ship?

 

I can't get over how some people travel after they retire and never check into

health benefits. They just assume everything is taken care of.

[GTO-Girl]

Medicare does not cover you out of the country.

 

We always buy our travel insurance from http://www.insuremytrip.com.

 

We never buy through the cruiseline as we can get better coverage for less money using someone else.

 

Enjoy your cruise!!

[csk]

We are about to go on Medicare soon. I understand if we leave the country we are not covered in health benefits at all? Is that true? And if so what do you do for coverage while on the ship?

 

I can't get over how some people travel after they retire and never check into

health benefits. They just assume everything is taken care of.

 

I am on Medicare and always buy travel insurance, it is not just those on medicare, but a lot of insurance does not cover out of country

[rockdoctor]

Some Medicare Advantage plans cover foreign travel. Check yours.

[Miamia65]

I use covermore travel insurance

 

 

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[SPacificbound]

I buy annual medical coverage and annual MedJet Express.

 

https://hthtravelinsurance.com/

 

https://medjetassist.com/

[jamon]

We use GEO BLUE....it covers medical and evacuation expenses when out of country

[jamesr3939]

I buy annual medical coverage and annual MedJet Express.

 

https://hthtravelinsurance.com/

 

https://medjetassist.com/

 

Why buy both? I just looked at HTH, which that link redirects you to GEO BLUE which includes evac coverage up to $500,000.

 

Seems to me GEO BLUE covers just about everything.

[shippmates]

That is correct Medicare does not cover you out of the continential United States. Most persons buy travel insurance even if they have medical insurance that covers them out of the country. Our insurance does but I buy the travel insurance to cover the medical evacuation if it is needed from a foreign port.

[mollyeilis]

ay ay ay.

 

https://www.humana.com/medicare/products-and-services/supplement/medigap-insurance-plan-f

 

Schedule F.

 

In addition to the basic benefits, Plan F also provides coverage for:...

• Travel-abroad medical emergency help
  

 

That's what my mother in law has. It's time to drop it b/c she's not traveling anymore, but it covers, I believe, 80% of medicare-approved costs.

[cb at sea]

Medicare itself doesn't cover everything, even IN the country....so you need a supplemental police as well a medicare! Travel insurance with medical coverage is a good idea for folks "getting up there" in years!

[whitecap]

Being retired military, one of the first things we checked into when I began Medicare was coverage should something happen when traveling outside of the country. Tricare, military health care, which was my primary insurance until Medicare took over, has now become my secondary and according to Tricare, continues to cover us when traveling outside of the United States. I would suggest that all those who are currently covered by Tricare as a primary or a secondary to Medicare, call your regional office and confirm and also request the telephone numbers to call should you need medical assistance when traveling. There are two numbers that you can call for "authorizations" and "assistance".

[El Abuelo]

ay ay ay.

 

https://www.humana.com/medicare/products-and-services/supplement/medigap-insurance-plan-f

 

Schedule F.

 

 

 

That's what my mother in law has. It's time to drop it b/c she's not traveling anymore, but it covers, I believe, 80% of medicare-approved costs.

Right. Medigap supplemental insurance. From the Medicare website:

Medigap plans C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, M, and N pay 80% of the billed charges for

certain medically necessary emergency care outside the U.S. after you meet a $250

deductible for the year. These Medigap policies cover foreign travel emergency

care if it begins during the first 60 days of your trip, and if Medicare doesn’t

otherwise cover the care. Foreign travel emergency coverage with Medigap

policies has a lifetime limit of $50,000.

Edited October 21, 2016 by El Abuelo

[nelblu]

We are about to go on Medicare soon. I understand if we leave the country we are not covered in health benefits at all? Is that true? And if so what do you do for coverage while on the ship?

 

I can't get over how some people travel after they retire and never check into

health benefits. They just assume everything is taken care of.

 

My supplemental plan "F" acts as Medicare in that it covers 80% of customary charges incurred overseas. However, it does not include transport & ancillaries needed to get one back to the US.

[gagirl7143]

All wise advice!!

 

 

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[Homosassa]

Check your supplemental insurance policy. Mine (BCBS) will cover all out of country expenses with no deductions.

Edited October 21, 2016 by Homosassa

[jamesr3939]

All Plan F Medicare Supp plans are created equally. It's required by Medicare they all provide exactly the same coverage. I have the AARP sponsored plan managed by United Health, which will cover the 80% out of country as already pointed out.

 

DW isn't eligible for Medicare yet. However, her Kaiser plan will also cover the 80% out of country charges.

 

Don't confuse supp plans with Advantage plans.

 

Since we have three cruises planned in the next 12 months I was looking at buying the Medjet family one year plan. However, when I looked at the GEO BLUE quote for a few dollars more I get evac and additional medical coverage. I just have to read the fine print to see if they cover what Kaiser and United Health won't.

[MADflyer]

We have had Medigap Plan F for my mother for years and the 80% coverage has also meant that providers in foreign countries have provided services without pre-payment as they have somewhat of a guarantee of payment.

 

When traveling with Medigap Plan F and another private travel insurance we have had the ramaining 20% paid on one occasion by the travel insurance plan.

 

While we have been fortunate for the past 15+ years, it should be noted that these plans are subject to change in the future. One of the American political parties is trying to move to have these plans slashed.

 

Their plan states that reform should :

 

"•Limit the financial coverage under Medigap supplemental insurance. Studies show that enrollees who have a larger co-pay actually use the health care system less. "

[Ocean Boy]

That is correct Medicare does not cover you out of the continential United States. Most persons buy travel insurance even if they have medical insurance that covers them out of the country. Our insurance does but I buy the travel insurance to cover the medical evacuation if it is needed from a foreign port.

 

Hawaii is not part of the continental U.S. and medicare does cover you there.

 

 

From the Medicare website....

 

"In most situations, Medicare won't pay for health care or supplies you get outside the U.S. The term “outside the U.S.” means anywhere other than the 50 states of the U.S., the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands."

Edited October 21, 2016 by Ocean Boy