Medicare and travel abroad

[8.1al]

Dianna Watson's recent mishap have led me to believe that those of us on Medicare may not be covered out of country. If this is the case just where would one go to purchase short term medical coverage?

[HamRad]

Charlie,

It is my understanding that Medicare does NOT cover you when you are out of country. I used to work for the Social Security Administration but that was 17 years ago. Things might have changed since then! I think they have an 800 number.

I don't know if there are companies that will cover you for travel out of country but would think there would be many such companies. There would be a lot of money to be made since so many of us travel to foreign countries.

You know we've been down to Mexico a couple of times and spent a month in Canada last year and didn't even think about this issue. It kind of scares me now that I think about it!

Dennis

[Driftwoodgal]

I am don't have this coverage so I can't be sure. I have had Good Sams send me information that says that they will cover you every where and will take care of you and your rig getting it home. I think I have seen Mrs. Country Girl post about their coverage about getting your rig home etc in some posts.

Our credit card will cover us to some extent if we pay for our trips on the card. I buy trip insurance when we cruise that covers all of the possiblities from cancellation to sickness. Basically it is a short term policy to cover the dates I am out of the country.

If we were traveling more often I would look into the Good Sams policy as it seemed to me at the time the info was sent to me to be a pretty broad coverage. I should look a little closer at it as it might replace my cruise coverage.

Colleen

[8.1al]

Dennis,
There must be companies that wii issue short term medical, I just don't know who. I don't remember ever seeing it advertised anywhere.

Colleen,
I'm not worried about getting us or the rig home, we're well covered anywhere in the world. It's medical coverage that I'm wondering about

[deadeye]

I had a case that happened to me earlier in life up in Canada. I went up there fishing for a week and we were staying out on a remote island in Northern Sask. I am a diabetic and had a bad reaction and passed out of course. My buddies got on the radio and called in a sea plane and they flew me to a hospital about 20 or 30 miles away as the crow flys. I wasn't old enough for medicare but I had Blue Cross/Blue Sheild. As everyone in Canada is insured for life as soon as they are born, that kind of left me out as I am an American citizen. I gave them my insurance card when checking out of the hospital and they took down my name and address of course. They sent me the bill, I sent it to the insurance company, which is unusual. Insurance company paid the 80/20 plan. I was to pay the 20%. I called back to the hospital for my bill and they said NO CHARGE. I though that was a nice gesture of the Canadians. I would love to see insurance like that for everyone in the United States instead of spending Billions of dollars on a senseless war or spending millions of dollars on running for the presidents job...Just my thoughts...JB

[awaywego]

My wife is on Medicare and her supplemental covers her out of the country.
AARP plan J

[8.1al]

Thanks for the info. Another thing to consider when choosing supplemental insurance

[hookman]

In Canada if we travel to another Province we should have travel insurance as under Federal medical care each Province decided what they will cover and what amount outside your home Province.