Does Medicare cover me on a cruise?

Sometimes, if the ship is in a United States port or within six hours of one. Beyond that it generally does not. Check your Medigap foreign travel benefit and consider a travel medical policy.

Can I keep my Advantage plan if I spend winters in another state?

It depends on the plan and how long you are gone. Some plans offer a travel benefit for long absences, and some end membership. Confirm the rule in writing before you go.

What do people who split the year usually choose?

Many pick Original Medicare with a Medigap policy and a Part D plan. That mix works in any state without network worries. It costs more each month, so weigh it against how you actually use care.

Will my plan fly me home if I get sick abroad?

Almost never. Medical evacuation is usually sold separately as travel insurance. Ask about it before a long trip.

Interactive tool

Travel Coverage Planner

Plan your coverage for time away from home.

Travel Coverage Planner

Plan your coverage for time away from home.

Where do you travel?1 / 2

Where you travel changes which coverage holds up. The question behind this tool is plain. Will your plan work when you are away from home?

Inside the United States

Original Medicare travels well. Any provider who accepts Medicare can see you, in any state. A Medigap policy follows along, since it pays a share of what Medicare approves.

Advantage plans are built around a local service area. Away from home you are generally covered for emergency and urgent care. Routine care is another matter. Some plans add a visitor or traveler benefit, and some do not.

Outside the country

Medicare pays for care outside the country only in rare situations. Several Medigap plans include a foreign travel emergency benefit, with a limit and a time window near the start of a trip. Some Advantage plans add worldwide emergency coverage. None of this replaces a travel medical policy for a long trip.

Care you cannot pause

Travel gets harder when treatment is ongoing. Dialysis away from home has to be arranged in advance, and plans differ on what they cover out of area. Oxygen supply, infusions, and regular injections raise the same question. Call your plan before you book, not after.

Prescriptions have their own rules. Mail order will not follow you easily, and most drug plans limit how far ahead you can refill. Ask your pharmacy about a vacation supply, and carry everything in the original labeled bottles.

If you live part of the year somewhere else

This is where people get caught. An Advantage plan can end your membership if you move out of its service area. A long stay is not always a move, and the rules depend on the plan. Moving does open a Special Enrollment Period, so you are not stuck.

What your pattern tends to mean

Frequent or wide ranging travel points toward Original Medicare with a supplement. Mostly local travel with a few trips often works on an Advantage plan. If you split the year between two states, say so early, because it changes the whole conversation.

What to do next

Before your next trip

Confirm what your plan pays for urgent care away from home
Check whether a foreign travel emergency benefit applies, and its time limit
Carry your plan card, a drug list, and the plan's phone number
Ask about medical evacuation, which health plans rarely include

See Medigap and Advantage plans, plus our travel and adventure coverage page. Plan availability and benefits vary by plan and area, and they can change. A licensed agent should review your travel pattern with you. Verify the rules at medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE.

Common Questions

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