Got Medicare?
You may not be covered for have full benefits on international travel
Your Medicare plan is designed for health care in the U.S., so it may very well fall short on critical benefits that are necessary to protect you when you travel outside the United States. These include medically necessary evacuation and global telemedicine services. Also, international claims may be considered out-of-network and may not be covered by Medicare at all. Your plan may have deductibles, copays, and coinsurance that are not familiar to international providers which means you could end up having lots of unnecessary hassle and paying more out-of-pocket.
Did you know?
Outside the U.S., Medicare/Medicaid coverage for care outside the U.S. is very limited. Some Medicare supplement plans don’t cover international coverage at all, but others may cover up to $50,000 lifetime maximum, which could be maxed out with a single medical incident. When traveling on an international cruise, members are covered if a medical incident occurs within six hours of a U.S. port and that may be challenging to calculate and prove after the fact.
Consider an international travel medical plan to fill the gap
International health plans, like GeoBlue , are specifically designed for international travel. GeoBlue has affordable plans for short-term international travel, such as vacations and cruises.
- Voyager plans provide coverage for single international trips up to 182 days
- Trekker plans provide coverage for unlimited international trips in a one-year period (up to 70 days max each trip)
Why consider a short-term international travel medical plan from GeoBlue?
GeoBlue international health plans are backed by Blue Cross® Blue Shield®, the most recognized and trusted name in healthcare and provides these benefits:
- Up to $1 million in coverage
- Guaranteed issue up to age 95. No medical underwriting
- Coverage for medically necessary COVID testing and treatment*
- Flexible cancellation policy if travel plans suddenly change
- Trip interruption protection**
- Unlimited Global TeleMDTM (telemedicine services) for care from providers via phone or video anywhere in the world
- Digital tools to help members connect with providers, communicate in the native language, and more
- Medically necessary evacuation and repatriation services and coordination
- 24/7/365 service and assistance
Get an instant quote
Visit GeoBlue and answer a few questions to get an instant quote. You can purchase a GeoBlue policy up to the day before you travel, so contact Michael Anderson at (512)795-4336 or request rates and plan options by email. Feel free to schedule a virtual, or in-person, appointment. Our offices are conveniently located at 1460 E Whitestone Blvd, Suite 220, Cedar Park, TX 78613.
* Because GeoBlue short-term plans provide coverage outside of the U.S. only, they do not include an immunization/vaccination benefit. Based on the country where the vaccination is administered, the government may or may not fund the cost.
**Available with Voyager plan only.
Your trip is all planned and paid for. You’ve got your plane tickets, your hotel is booked, and you’re ready to go. Then tragedy strikes and you’re forced to cancel your trip before you even get a chance to leave. Now, not only are you out the experience of your trip, you’re out all the money you paid too.
Trip cancellation insurance applies to situations where you have to cancel your trip because of a covered reason before you’re able to leave. Some covered reasons include illness, injury, or death of a family member or the traveler, natural disasters that make the trip impossible, and more. This coverage can reimburse you for the prepaid, non-refundable expenses related to your trip.
You’re on your trip, enjoying the amazing sites and having fun. The food is good, your accommodations are nice. This trip was definitely worth the money. But when an unfortunate emergency occurs and you’re forced to end your trip early, you’re not only missing out on the last leg of your trip, but you’re out the money you paid for the rest of it.
Trip interruption insurance is an essential coverage for those emergencies and situations you just can’t predict while you’re traveling. If you’re forced to cut your trip short due to a covered reason—like a serious illness, a death in the family, a natural disaster that makes continuing the trip impossible, and more—this coverage can help you recoup your losses. It can help reimburse you for prepaid, non-refundable, and unused expenses, and it can also help you cover the costs to return home early.
Traveling by plane means a lot of coordination and many circumstances beyond your control can wreak havoc on your plans. All it takes is one incident to make you miss your flight and leave you stranded.
If missing flights is a big concern for you while you’re traveling, this policy could be right for you. In the event you miss a flight due to a covered reason, you may be eligible for help with travel and accommodation expenses related to your missed flight. However, it’s important to know what is and isn’t covered—for example, not leaving enough time to get to the airport is not a covered event.
When you travel, you get to explore new places and try new things, but injuries and illnesses can happen at any time. All it takes is the wrong food to land you in the hospital with a serious bout of food poisoning. Your standard health insurance may not cover you while you’re traveling, and the resulting medical bills can be enormous.
If you find yourself sick or injured while traveling, travel medical insurance can help you cover the costs of your treatment. Some plans may be extended to groups and dependents. Other plans can also cover dental expenses.
If you’re traveling internationally and suffer a serious injury or illness that requires you to be transported to the nearest qualified facility or your home country, those costs can add up quickly. If the worst should happen and you die while abroad, returning your remains to your home country can also come with a high price tag.
Medical evacuation and repatriation insurance is a form of medical coverage that supplements your standard travel medical insurance. It helps to cover the costs of evacuating you to the nearest qualified facility to treat your injury or illness. This coverage can also cover the costs of transporting a family member or friend to be by your side. If you were to die while abroad, the repatriation portion of the coverage helps to cover the costs of returning your body to your home country.
Everything you need for your trip is stored in your baggage. Clothing, toiletries, electronics, you name it, you probably have it packed. What happens if you arrive at your destination, but your baggage is delayed? What happens if your luggage gets lost, stolen, or damaged? Suddenly you’re faced with having to buy replacements for everything you packed.
Getting coverage for loss and delay of baggage in your travel insurance policy can help you if you’re suddenly without your luggage. If your bags are delayed, this policy can reimburse you for essentials you have to purchase, like toiletries, clothes, and more. If your bags are lost, the insurance company will help you try to track down your luggage, and if it can’t be found, they’ll reimburse you for the items. Coverage for stolen and damaged luggage varies, so be sure to check your policy.
When traveling, it’s possible for unexpected delays to occur. When that happens, you could lose out on prepaid expenses and also incur new ones as you wait out the delay.
If you experience a delay in your travel plans due to a covered reason, trip delay insurance can help to cover some of the costs associated with it. For instance, it can reimburse you for lost expenses that you prepaid, and it can also help to cover things like accommodations, food, transport, and more as you wait out the delay. It’s important to note that policies will define how long your delay needs to last for it to be covered—i.e. five hours—and there is a limit on the amount of reimbursement per day you’ll be allowed.
Often when you travel by plane, train, and boat, you most likely won’t have access to your vehicle and will have to rent one at your destination. If you get into an accident or damage the rental vehicle, you could be held liable for the damage.
While your personal auto insurance may extend to rental cars, there is a possibility that it won’t. It’s also possible the rental agency will offer you rental insurance, but for a hefty price. In that case, rental vehicle insurance can help you cover costs associated with an accident you’re liable for while in the rented vehicle, such as costs to repair the vehicle.
It’s not pleasant to think about, but traveling can be dangerous. One second you could be having the time of your life, and the next, the worst could happen. Now you can’t provide for the people you care about like you used to.
Accidental death and dismemberment insurance may be an important part of your travel insurance. It acts like a life insurance policy. You name a beneficiary and if you were to die or be dismembered while traveling, they would receive the benefits. This would be paid out in addition to any life insurance coverage you already have.
There are so many moving parts when it comes to traveling. Your transportation, your accommodations, the activities and attractions you plan to visit, and more. If even one thing goes wrong, it could be a huge inconvenience to your entire trip.
Travel inconvenience insurance can help supplement your trip interruption and trip delay insurance. It helps to reimburse you for expenses if a covered and unforeseen event were to occur and disrupt your trip. This could include closed attractions, hotel construction, card cancellations, and more.
