Health Insurance Abroad: Does Your Plan Cover You Overseas?

It depends entirely on your plan. Some employer and individual plans cover emergencies abroad, often as out-of-network care; others cover little or nothing. Even with coverage, the CDC notes that travelers are usually responsible for paying hospital and medical costs out of pocket at most destinations, then claiming reimbursement later.

Call your insurer before you go and ask these questions.

Original Medicare generally doesn’t pay for care outside the US, apart from a few narrow situations. Many Medigap supplement plans include limited foreign travel emergency coverage; as of 2026, it typically pays a share of emergency care after a deductible, up to a lifetime cap. Check your plan’s terms at medicare.gov or with your insurer.

Medicare Advantage plans generally don’t cover care abroad, though some offer emergency and urgent care benefits while traveling. Ask your plan directly, and assume you’ll need travel medical insurance for anything beyond a short emergency.

Travel medical insurance covers emergency treatment and hospitalization abroad, and often evacuation and repatriation. Some policies pay first, so you don’t have to claim from your own insurer; others pay only after your regular coverage. Many policies offer a waiver for pre-existing conditions if you buy soon after your first trip payment.

Travel medical coverage is different from trip cancellation coverage, though comprehensive policies combine both. See travel insurance explained, and compare with card benefits in travel insurance vs credit card coverage.

Because getting to good care can cost far more than the care itself. On a fly-in safari or an outer island, a serious illness or injury may require a medical flight to a major hospital, or home. The CDC advises considering evacuation coverage for remote destinations and places where care may not meet US standards; see our glossary entry on medical evacuation insurance.

Insurance policies typically transport you to the nearest adequate facility. Evacuation membership programs may offer transport to a hospital of your choice, often closer to home. Read the terms carefully, especially for remote trips like those in our safari health guide.

In an emergency, get care first. Then call your insurer’s assistance line, which can locate facilities, guarantee payment in some cases and coordinate evacuation. The nearest US embassy or consulate can help you find medical services and contact family, but it can’t pay your bills. Keep every receipt and medical report for claims.

Business travelers should know their employer’s assistance number before departure, part of any duty of care program. Our guide to emergencies abroad covers who to call and when.