Can You Use Medicare While Traveling Out of State?

“Medigap policies are transportable and will cover Medicare services in any state as long as the provider [you] see is seeing Medicare beneficiaries and agrees to bill Medicare,” says Kelli Jo Greiner, a health care policy analyst and Medicare product manager for the Minnesota Board on Aging.

Medicare also pays for participating convenience care and walk-in clinics such as MinuteClinics at CVS and Target and Little Clinics at Kroger.

Will Medicare Advantage cover me on vacation?

The answer depends on the plan, the provider and the type of care you need.

Because most Medicare Advantage plans have provider networks, whom you see matters. If the doctor or place of care isn’t in network, you may have to foot the bill yourself or have a high copay.

Each plan’s coverage varies. But all Medicare Advantage plans must cover emergency care and urgent care in the U.S. as in-network services, even if the clinic or hospital isn’t in a plan’s network.

Copayments may be different than original Medicare’s. One plan may charge a $115 copay for emergency care and $50 for urgent care whether the provider is in or out of network.

After your condition is stable, you or the doctor treating you should contact the plan and discuss the next steps for your care, says Chrissie Cooper, senior vice president of government programs for Kaiser Permanente. The member may need the plan’s approval for additional services.

Advantage plans may cover walk-in clinics, other providers

For symptoms that don’t need an emergency room, some Medicare Advantage plans include convenience care and walk-in clinics in their networks.

Members of Aetna’s Medicare Advantage preferred provider organization (PPO) and health maintenance organization (HMO) plans that don’t require a primary care provider can visit a nationally contracted retail health clinic and pay the same copay as they would for a regular primary-care visit, says Dr. Ali Khan, Aetna’s chief medical officer for Medicare.

This includes MinuteClinics, which contract with most Medicare Advantage plans. Aetna is a subsidiary of CVS Health.

If you need to visit a doctor while you’re away, some Medicare Advantage plans have national or regional networks where you might find a participating provider. 

Most Humana Medicare Advantage PPO plan members have access to its national provider network when traveling. Some of its Medicare Advantage HMO plans include a traveler benefit that lets members receive services away from home that would be covered locally and pay in-network costs.

Some plans let you check options wherever you travel

UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Aetna, Anthem and Kaiser Permanente are the largest Medicare Advantage insurers, with 70 percent of the market, according to a 2025 study from KFF, a health policy nonprofit. Anthem is the main brand of Elevance Health.

This is where your smartphone comes in handy.

All have websites and apps for members, and even the smaller insurance companies are online. So do the following:

• Open a browser tab to your insurer’s webpage or download its app.
• Check your login and password.
• Slip your Medicare Advantage card and your Medicare card into your wallet.

“Tools on our member website and mobile app are available for members to look up network providers in whatever ZIP code they happen to be in when they need care,” says Amanda Weigel, senior director of Medicare Advantage product strategy at UnitedHealth Group.

Just in case, if you misplace your Medicare Advantage card, your insurer’s app or website will have a digital copy with the member ID number — so your out-of-town provider can bill the plan — and a toll-free customer-service number if you or a loved one needs to talk to a plan representative.

About 72 percent of UnitedHealthcare’s standard Medicare Advantage members have access to nearly 1 million providers in its national network, Weigel says. But not all UnitedHealthcare contracted providers participate.

Options for telehealth. Many plans, such as Aetna, Humana, Kaiser Permanente and UnitedHealthcare, also cover in-network access to telehealth, sometimes referred to as virtual care, while you’re vacationing inside the U.S.

But you won’t necessarily see your personal physician through this service when you’re on the road. State laws require your doctor to be licensed in the location where you are during the appointment.

Can I use my Part D plan when traveling?

Yes, most Part D plans have large pharmacy networks, so you can usually find a drugstore in their network anywhere in the U.S. If you need a medication that’s covered in your plan’s formulary, your out-of-pocket costs will count toward the $2,100 limit for 2026, $2,400 for 2027.

Know how to cut costs. You typically will have the smallest drug copayments if you use a preferred pharmacy. An in-network pharmacy’s out-of-pocket price won’t be as low but will be better than at an out-of-network pharmacy.

“Medicare Part D plans are transportable and are national plans in most cases,” Greiner says. “It is important for a beneficiary to use a preferred pharmacy wherever they are located to ensure they have the lowest cost possible.”

In-network is second best. If you need a medication while traveling, call your health plan or visit its website for preferred or in-network pharmacies nearby. Many plans include national chain pharmacies in their preferred networks. 

“Medicare drug prices are based on the relationship between multiple factors, including the Part D plan, the pharmacy and the drug,” says Michelle Grochocinski, elder benefit specialist program manager for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

“Drug prices can vary by pharmacy under the same Part D plan,” says Grochocinski, who is also codirector of Wisconsin’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program. “In-network and preferred in-network pharmacies will have the lowest prices. Some Part D plans’ pharmacy networks are nationwide, but others are not.” 

Before you travel:

• Find your Part D plan’s website or download its app.
• Set up a login if you don’t have one.
• Keep the info handy on your phone.
• Put your Part D card with its plan number and member ID in your wallet.

If you take essential medications, look for a preferred pharmacy in your travel area before you go, in case you leave pills at home or run out. Otherwise, ask your doctor about a three-month supply or whether the plan’s mail order service will deliver where you’re traveling. 

Can I get Medicare coverage when I’m out of the country?

Medicare rarely covers foreign travel, even emergency care, except in limited circumstances. But you have other options.

Some Medigap plans offer coverage with a lifetime limit of $50,000. They typically pay 80 percent of the cost for medically necessary emergency care you receive outside the U.S.

Plans C, D, F, G, M and N with standardized benefits in most states cover emergency care outside the country. Plans C and F are available only to beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare before Jan. 1, 2020.

Medicare Advantage plans may have limited coverage. Ask your insurer for details.

Tricare for Life, which supplements Medicare coverage for military retirees, provides the same foreign travel coverage that military retirees and their eligible dependents had before enrolling in Medicare.

Tips to avoid unexpected health care costs on vacation

If your health needs while traveling don’t rise to the level of emergency care, you still can save money out of town.

Participating convenience care and walk-in clinics are less expensive than urgent care if your issues are minor.

If you’re on Medicare Advantage, an in-network provider is the most economical. Apps and websites can help.

Prescription drug plans can have three tiers. Preferred pharmacies are the cheapest. In-network is the next best.

Some travel insurance policies — specifically travel medical insurance — cover emergency care abroad and medical evacuation to a nearby medical center or back to the U.S. Check for exclusions, preexisting condition restrictions and coverage limits before buying a policy.

This story, originally published July 11, 2024, was updated with information about apps and websites, telehealth and preferred pharmacies.