Here’s something most people don’t find out until it’s too late: your regular U.S. health insurance may not cover you at all when you’re in another country. According to the U.S. Department of State, Medicare and Medicaid specifically do not pay for medical care outside the United States. And the CDC notes that domestic health insurance may only cover medical expenses abroad under specific circumstances — meaning even if you have a job-based plan, it might not help you either.
So what happens if you break your leg in another country or get seriously sick? You’d likely be expected to pay the hospital bill yourself, out of pocket. Medical care in many countries can be extremely expensive, and emergency care or a hospital stay could cost thousands of dollars with little or no insurance backup.
Medicare is a partial exception — but barely. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, if you have Medicare and are admitted to a foreign hospital, you may need to personally submit an itemized bill to Medicare yourself (if the hospital doesn’t submit the claim directly). But Medicare’s coverage outside the U.S. is described as limited. Some Medicare supplement plans (called Medigap) may cover emergency care abroad, according to Medicare.gov — but you’d need to check your specific plan carefully.
Before any international trip, the U.S. Department of State recommends buying travel health insurance. And the CDC points out that regular travel insurance doesn’t automatically include health coverage — so read the fine print carefully before you buy. Call your current insurance provider and ask directly: ‘Do you cover emergency medical care outside the United States?’ Get the answer in writing if you can.
The bottom line: don’t assume you’re covered just because you have insurance at home. A quick phone call or policy check before you leave could save you from a financial nightmare if something goes wrong.