Does Medicare Cover Travel Expenses for Medical Care?
Discover Medicare's nuanced coverage for medical travel expenses, including transport and international care, and how private plans may help.
Medicare is a federal health insurance program for individuals aged 65 or older, younger people with certain disabilities, and those with End-Stage Renal Disease. Medicare primarily covers medical services, not travel or lodging costs. While some medical transportation is covered under specific circumstances, most personal travel costs are not included.
Original Medicare Coverage for Medical Transportation
Original Medicare, specifically Part B, covers medically necessary ambulance services. This applies when a beneficiary requires emergency medical attention and ambulance transport is the safest way to reach the nearest appropriate medical facility. For emergencies, Medicare covers both ground and air ambulance services.
Non-emergency ambulance services may also be covered under more stringent conditions. Such transportation requires a physician’s written order certifying that other means of transport would endanger the patient’s health. For example, bed-confined individuals or those needing medical supervision during transit might qualify for non-emergency ambulance coverage for transport to a hospital, skilled nursing facility, or for recurring treatments like dialysis. After meeting the annual Part B deductible, beneficiaries are responsible for 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for these services. Routine transportation to doctor’s appointments is not covered by Original Medicare.
Original Medicare Coverage for Other Travel Costs
Original Medicare does not cover travel-related expenses beyond specific medical transportation. This includes non-medical transportation costs like airfare, train tickets, bus fares, or personal vehicle expenses incurred when traveling to medical appointments or facilities.
Lodging expenses, such as hotel stays, and the cost of meals while traveling for medical care are not covered by Original Medicare. Even if extensive travel is required to reach a specialist or a facility, these personal logistical costs remain the beneficiary’s responsibility.
Medicare Coverage for Travel Outside the United States
Original Medicare provides very limited coverage for healthcare services received when a beneficiary travels outside the United States and its territories. In most situations, Medicare will not pay for health care or supplies obtained in foreign countries. This includes 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.
There are a few rare exceptions where Original Medicare might offer coverage for emergency or urgent care abroad. One exception applies if a medical emergency occurs while in the U.S. and a foreign hospital is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital. Another exception is for beneficiaries traveling through Canada on a direct route between Alaska and another U.S. state when a medical emergency arises, and a Canadian hospital is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital. Medically necessary services received on a ship within the territorial waters adjoining the U.S. may also be covered. These exceptions are highly conditional, and coverage is not guaranteed for all services or situations.
How Medicare Advantage and Medigap Plans May Offer Additional Coverage
Private insurance options can provide broader coverage for certain travel expenses compared to Original Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans, also known as Part C, are offered by private insurance companies approved by Medicare. These plans are required to cover everything Original Medicare does, but many offer additional benefits that can be relevant to travel.
Some Medicare Advantage plans may include benefits for non-emergency medical transportation, such as rides to doctor appointments, which can reduce the need for personal travel arrangements. Certain plans may also offer telehealth services, which can minimize travel by allowing beneficiaries to consult with healthcare providers remotely. Specific Medicare Advantage plans may even provide coverage for emergency and urgent care services when traveling internationally, though the extent of this coverage varies significantly by plan, provider, and geographic location.
Medigap, or Medicare Supplement Insurance, policies are designed to help cover out-of-pocket costs associated with Original Medicare. Several Medigap plans, specifically Plans C, D, F, G, M, and N, offer foreign travel emergency healthcare coverage. For those who purchased policies before June 1, 2010, discontinued Plans E, H, I, and J also include this benefit. This coverage pays 80% of approved costs for medically necessary emergency care outside the U.S. after a $250 annual deductible is met. This benefit applies to emergencies occurring within the first 60 days of a trip and has a lifetime maximum limit of $50,000.