Medicare and Foreign Travel: What's Covered Outside the U.S.

Original Medicare generally only covers care within the 50 states and U.S. territories. There are a few narrow exceptions — such as a medical emergency near the Canadian border where a Canadian hospital is genuinely closer than the nearest U.S. facility, or emergency care received on a cruise ship within a limited number of hours of a U.S. port.

Part D drug coverage doesn't extend abroad either, and Medicare Advantage plans generally don't cover care outside their service area — some may even disenroll a member who's outside the country for too long.