STRAIGHT MEDICARE AND SUPPLEMENT

[rabin1]

Before you tell me to call Medicare and  United Health Care I already have and cannot get straight answers. I am NOT talking about Medicare Advantage Plans

I have straight Medicare and a Plan N from United Health Care. It is second to highest I think all supplements sell. They all must be same. I cannot find or get answers to this question. Do they cover international travel AND on cruise ships. And do they have the feature of flying you home if needed??

 

Only interested if you have used or know first hand.

Thank you

Kathy

[BabySarge]

The two links below should provide the answers you are looking for regarding Medicare and foreign travel.   Also look at the Medicare & You 2022 Handbook (PDF download from https://www.medicare.gov) specifically pages 7, 52, and 76.  Basically, the answer is no.

 

Travel Medical Coverage (medicare.gov)

Medicare & You: Traveling Abroad - YouTube

 

As to United Health Care, Plan N, I have no access to their plans so can't provide a definitive answer but would very much doubt it which is why most of us end up taking out separate, private travel insurance and/or the Princess offered insurance.

 

I do have a background and experience in this as I was a HR Benefits Specialist for a good number of years for the US Gov't prior to my retirement just so you know I'm not talking out the side of my mouth.

 

 

 

[dreaminofcruisin]

39 minutes ago, rabin1 said:

Before you tell me to call Medicare and  United Health Care I already have and cannot get straight answers. I am NOT talking about Medicare Advantage Plans

I have straight Medicare and a Plan N from United Health Care. It is second to highest I think all supplements sell. They all must be same. I cannot find or get answers to this question. Do they cover international travel AND on cruise ships. And do they have the feature of flying you home if needed??

 

Only interested if you have used or know first hand.

Thank you

Kathy

 

I don't have first hand knowledge, but perhaps these websites will help some:

https://www.medicare.gov/supplements-other-insurance/how-to-compare-medigap-policies

So, it looks like Plan N might cover Foreign Travel Emergency...more on that here:

https://www.medicare.gov/supplements-other-insurance/medigap-travel

 

Flying you home ... would be evacaution insurance and I don't believe any medicare plans have that feature. Princess Insurance does, to a limit if that's helpful.

 

[beg3yrs]

I just went on Medicare last year and DW is going on it in June. We've looked extensively at both N and G plans. IIRC, both plans do cover foreign medical expenses (cruise ships are foreign travel) with a lifetime limit of $50,000 (not much really). Can't recall if that also covers transport but I don't think so. Also, the expenses covered are only to stabilize you so you can travel back to the US. We decided not to go with either of those plans (in spite of BIL pushing hard for us to choose a G) and stick with an Advantage plan and then go with separate insurance for travel.

 

BTW, expect a moderator to move this topic to another forum as it isn't specific to Princess...

Edited April 29, 2022 by beg3yrs

[Mary loves to travel]

What’s different between N and G?

[rabin1]

3 minutes ago, Mary loves to travel said:

What’s different between N and G?

Ma"m this not about Medicare and Supplement plans. It is about what I posted. I suggest you look up what you are thinking of purchasing

Edited April 29, 2022 by rabin1

[Rick&Jeannie]

Take a look at BlueCross GeoBlue Trekker.  That's what we use since Medicare does not cover international.  Annual plan, reasonable.

[Mary loves to travel]

9 minutes ago, rabin1 said:

 

 

Thanks again everyone

BTW plan N is very good had for years

 

 

5 minutes ago, rabin1 said:

Ma"m this not about Medicare and Supplement plans. It is about what I posted. I suggest you look up what you are thinking of purchasing

May apologies; I was asking about your statement above regarding plan N.   
 

As far as your original question, you may find an annual plan from GeoBlue will meet your needs for evacuation coverage.   
 

 

Best,

Mary

[skynight]

Look here for the coverage. Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plan N has 80% coverage for foreign travel emergency up to plan limits. Only United Health Care can advise you regarding exactly what would be covered by their Medigap plan.

We have plan F, no longer offered to new customers, and we always purchased travel coverage.

https://www.mymedigapplans.com/medicare-supplement-plans/comparison-chart/

Edited April 29, 2022 by skynight

[coo359a2]

I think I am answering your question.  Can only speak for myself and the insurance claims I've filed but straight old fashion Medicare does not cover international or medical bills on a Princess cruise ship.  Sometime the Princess insurance has me file the claim with Medicare which turn it down or they let me skip this step.  Probably adds 30 days on to the insurance process have to get a denial from Medicare.

[skynight]

1 minute ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Take a look at BlueCross GeoBlue Trekker.  That's what we use since Medicare does not cover international.  Annual plan, reasonable.

Medicare does not cover international travel, but some Medicare supplement plans (also know as Medigap plans) cover 80% of emergency medical up to plan limits.

[klfrodo]

2 hours ago, rabin1 said:

. Do they cover international travel AND on cruise ships. 

 

 

Some do, some don't. IF they do, it's usually a lifetime limit.

 

Side Note: None of the above will bill Medicare directly. You must pay up front with either cash or credit card. Then when you get home, you file for reimbursement from Medicare yourself.

[coo359a2]

51 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Take a look at BlueCross GeoBlue Trekker.  That's what we use since Medicare does not cover international.  Annual plan, reasonable.

Is GeoBlue strictly a medical plan?  Do you self insure for the cruise cost, etc or buy a policy that covers those additional cruising cost?

[nini]

Other Benefits Not Covered by Medicare–What Plan N Pays

 

Services	Medicare Pays	Plan N Pays	You Pay
First $250 each calendar year	$0	$0	$250
Remainder of charges	$0	80% to a lifetime maximum benefit of $50,000	20% and amounts over the $50,000 lifetime maximum

[nini]

There is a lifetime maximum of 50K. If there is a crazy emergency, 50K will not go very far.

[Rick&Jeannie]

47 minutes ago, coo359a2 said:

Is GeoBlue strictly a medical plan?  Do you self insure for the cruise cost, etc or buy a policy that covers those additional cruising cost?

Not sure exactly what you are asking. Yes, it is medical but also has evacuation coverage as well.  We always get the cruise line coverage as well so between the two I feel like we are as covered as can be without just going crazy 

[Mary loves to travel]

39 minutes ago, coo359a2 said:

Is GeoBlue strictly a medical plan?  Do you self insure for the cruise cost, etc or buy a policy that covers those additional cruising cost?

GeoBlue is medical & evac.    The Trekker plan includes $500K medical (but only $100K for 70 and older), plus up to $250,000 emergency medical evacuation.     It was recommended to buy international medical & evac all in one plan, so the one company is motivated to get you home where your normal insurance will pick up the cost.     It requires one to have a primary health plan, also.

 

Yes, our United Healthcare Plan G does include up to $50K international medical, and that seems to be lifetime coverage -- not all that much, but certainly better than nothing.

 

As far as insuring the trip itself, we have some travel insurance on one of our credit cards, lowish limits (and *NOT* cancel for any reason), but it's sufficient.   The rest we self-insure.

 

Mary

[coo359a2]

Thanks for explaining.  Guess we (over 70) will stay with Princess insurance as we do have insurance other than Medicare that between the two would cover all medical costs. 

[iamtrustworthy]

On 4/29/2022 at 12:07 PM, rabin1 said:

Before you tell me to call Medicare and  United Health Care I already have and cannot get straight answers. I am NOT talking about Medicare Advantage Plans

I have straight Medicare and a Plan N from United Health Care. It is second to highest I think all supplements sell. They all must be same. I cannot find or get answers to this question. Do they cover international travel AND on cruise ships. And do they have the feature of flying you home if needed??

 

Only interested if you have used or know first hand.

Thank you

Kathy

Hi Kathy,

 

Here's how your Medicare Supplement covers you outside the USA:

https://tripinsurancestore.com/medicare-does-not-cover-you-outside-the-usa/

 

For full disclosure, I wrote this page. And all the other 530 pages on on my website and blog.

 

Steve Dasseos

[rabin1]

37 minutes ago, iamtrustworthy said:

Hi Kathy,

 

Here's how your Medicare Supplement covers you outside the USA:

https://tripinsurancestore.com/medicare-does-not-cover-you-outside-the-usa/

 

For full disclosure, I wrote this page. And all the other 530 pages on on my website and blog.

 

Steve Dasseos

Thank you that really cleared everything up. Good thing I had already bought the Princess Travel Protection.

Kathy

[iamtrustworthy]

On 5/1/2022 at 11:08 PM, rabin1 said:

Thank you that really cleared everything up. Good thing I had already bought the Princess Travel Protection.

Kathy

Hi Kathy,

 

You're welcome.

 

You might want to check to see if the Princess Travel Protection's medical is primary or secondary. It's been secondary but it might've changed to primary.

 

Steve Dasseos

Edited May 3, 2022 by iamtrustworthy
typo

[klfrodo]

Since Princess medical is Secondary, that means that OP will have to file with Medicare first, eat up whatever is available from the $50K lifetime benefit, then file with Princess for the remaining $10K that Princess offers.

[Mary loves to travel]

Aren't many travel policies secondary?    I guess unless one specifically looks for one that is primary...

 

I believe GeoBlue Trekker plans are secondary (to Medicare) but am not sure.

 

 

Mary

 

[klfrodo]

1 hour ago, Mary loves to travel said:

Aren't many travel policies secondary?    I guess unless one specifically looks for one that is primary...

 

I believe GeoBlue Trekker plans are secondary (to Medicare) but am not sure.

 

 

Mary

 

Nope.

There are many travel policies that list Medical as Primary.

It actually must depend on your State of residence. I just went to Steve's website and did a quick check.

For my State of Washington, out of the 5 quotes, 2 were listed as Primary. I then changed my State of residence to California. 4 of the 5 policies listed were as Primary.

[Jersey42]

2 hours ago, Mary loves to travel said:

Aren't many travel policies secondary?    I guess unless one specifically looks for one that is primary...

 

I believe GeoBlue Trekker plans are secondary (to Medicare) but am not sure.

 

 

Mary

 

GeoBlue Trekker will pay as primary.