Assuming you are correct Gladys. I assume the following. I bet your annual monthly payments of that add up to way more than two or three insurance payments for say two or three trips to Tauck, which also covers much more, from repatriation, trip cancelation and flights. I assume a less expensive Medicare supplement plan along with the Tauck plan would be way less.
If I might add, I do not know of one person that has used a Medicare plan in a foreign country for a medical emergency. Does anyone, and if anyone has taken out additional travel insurance, which would kick in first? I just wouldn’t trust all the hidden rules Medicare has in case of any emergency.
British
Assuming you are correct Gladys. I assume the following. I bet your annual monthly payments of that add up to way more than two or three insurance payments for say two or three trips to Tauck, which also covers much more, from repatriation, trip cancelation and flights. I assume a less expensive Medicare supplement plan along with the Tauck plan would be way less.
Your choice of a Medicare supplement plan should be based on your normal medical experience/needs in the USA and not on travel medical coverage.
Medicare covers 80% of most medical care in the US and your supplemental plan covers the other 20%. There are variations in the supplemental coverage and your choice should be based on what works best for you in your regular USA medical needs.
A traveler can purchase a travel medical plan for less than $100 per person per trip and it will cover about anything you'll need. The reason they can sell those plans so cheaply is that very few tourists ever need medical care while traveling.
Concur with Mike. We picked ours based on quality of care, vproximity of offices and ability to access specialist care that we already had relationships with.
Noreen
9:56AM
Alan - I looked into this a few years ago and was informed that we are not covered unless you live overseas, however, it could have changed.
I haven't gone past the first page, but the Tricare website https://www.tricare.mil/Plans/HealthPlans/TFL/TFL_O says, "When using TRICARE For Life in all other overseas locations, whether you live overseas or are traveling overseas, TRICARE is the primary payer and you're responsible for paying TRICARE's annual deductible and cost shares." and 'When using TRICARE For Life in all other overseas locations, whether you live overseas or are traveling overseas, TRICARE is the primary payer and you're responsible for paying TRICARE's annual deductible and cost shares." I haven't read the full section on "Retirees" but there are Copayments & Cost-Shares.
Alan, there is a plan called "Tricare Prime Overseas" that includes retirees. However, it has a monthly cost of $25 or $300 annually for a family. With a lot of out of pocket expenses it could add up pretty quickly. There is a book on Amazon that is called "Tricare Around the World" written by J.D. Lelaw who is a retired Naval officer that I think I will order today just for more information on Tricare as it is very confusing. Also, we have Medjet which covers hospitalization internationally or domestically 150 miles or more from your home. They will arrange medical evacuation.
British and MikeHenderson - British -You are correct my supplement yearly payments could pay for Tauck travel insurance 3 or 4 times but I did not get it for the travel insurance par I chose that plan because I do not have a deductible or any co payments, when I had my sinus surgery I never got a bill actually I never get a bill for any tests, procedures, etc. so it is worth it to me to have that plan. Also I can go to whatever doctor I want without a referral
The trip medical plan I use will pay for repatriation of your body. I'm going from memory here, but I think they will also pay for someone to fly to the place where you died to escort your body home.
I never paid a lot of attention to that part of the insurance because I wasn't planning on dying on the trip.
They have coverage for medical evacuation, including a private jet with a medical escort, if that's needed. I don't take the cancellation coverage, just the medical coverage.
There's no coverage for evacuation for non-medical reasons, such as war breaking out. Things like that are covered in the full trip insurance, not the medical portion.
Just got this as part of an email from United Healthcare, as related to my AARP Medicare supplement:
Your Medicare supplement plan travels with you
Have vacation plans this summer? No problem. Your plan coverage follows you to all 50 states. Your plan also includes foreign travel emergency care, which can be used during the first 60 days of your trip. Care received will be covered so long as the service is something that would have been covered by Medicare in the United States. Your plan will pay 80% for medically necessary emergency care after you meet the $250 deductible.
When counting on insurance for overseas medical, you should be clear when payment or agreement to pay is made. It is not uncommon for services to not be provided, or discharge permitted, from an overseas provider, until they have been paid. So many coverages will repay you after the fact, but you still need to have some ability to outlay the cost during your moment of need. Good travel insurance policies with useful medical coverage include a payment advance or authorization mechanism so that payment is not a bar to treatment or discharge. On the medical evacuation front, also be sure to distinguish in various plans between evacuation to the nearest facility and evacuation once medically stable to a provider or facility back home. Some merely provide the former, which leaves you footing the bill for transfer back home.
Comments
Yes Alan that's my understanding about TFL. You have to pay their co-pays too. No idea what they are now.
BKMD you are right the Medicare Supplement plan I have does cover medical services in foreign countries, the plan is expensive but worth it.
Assuming you are correct Gladys. I assume the following. I bet your annual monthly payments of that add up to way more than two or three insurance payments for say two or three trips to Tauck, which also covers much more, from repatriation, trip cancelation and flights. I assume a less expensive Medicare supplement plan along with the Tauck plan would be way less.
If I might add, I do not know of one person that has used a Medicare plan in a foreign country for a medical emergency. Does anyone, and if anyone has taken out additional travel insurance, which would kick in first? I just wouldn’t trust all the hidden rules Medicare has in case of any emergency.
Your choice of a Medicare supplement plan should be based on your normal medical experience/needs in the USA and not on travel medical coverage.
Medicare covers 80% of most medical care in the US and your supplemental plan covers the other 20%. There are variations in the supplemental coverage and your choice should be based on what works best for you in your regular USA medical needs.
A traveler can purchase a travel medical plan for less than $100 per person per trip and it will cover about anything you'll need. The reason they can sell those plans so cheaply is that very few tourists ever need medical care while traveling.
Concur with Mike. We picked ours based on quality of care, vproximity of offices and ability to access specialist care that we already had relationships with.
I haven't gone past the first page, but the Tricare website https://www.tricare.mil/Plans/HealthPlans/TFL/TFL_O says, "When using TRICARE For Life in all other overseas locations, whether you live overseas or are traveling overseas, TRICARE is the primary payer and you're responsible for paying TRICARE's annual deductible and cost shares." and 'When using TRICARE For Life in all other overseas locations, whether you live overseas or are traveling overseas, TRICARE is the primary payer and you're responsible for paying TRICARE's annual deductible and cost shares." I haven't read the full section on "Retirees" but there are Copayments & Cost-Shares.
Alan, there is a plan called "Tricare Prime Overseas" that includes retirees. However, it has a monthly cost of $25 or $300 annually for a family. With a lot of out of pocket expenses it could add up pretty quickly. There is a book on Amazon that is called "Tricare Around the World" written by J.D. Lelaw who is a retired Naval officer that I think I will order today just for more information on Tricare as it is very confusing. Also, we have Medjet which covers hospitalization internationally or domestically 150 miles or more from your home. They will arrange medical evacuation.
British and MikeHenderson - British -You are correct my supplement yearly payments could pay for Tauck travel insurance 3 or 4 times but I did not get it for the travel insurance par I chose that plan because I do not have a deductible or any co payments, when I had my sinus surgery I never got a bill actually I never get a bill for any tests, procedures, etc. so it is worth it to me to have that plan. Also I can go to whatever doctor I want without a referral
What about if you die abroad, or need evacuation for a health issue or even cancelation, how does that’ work?
The trip medical plan I use will pay for repatriation of your body. I'm going from memory here, but I think they will also pay for someone to fly to the place where you died to escort your body home.
I never paid a lot of attention to that part of the insurance because I wasn't planning on dying on the trip.
They have coverage for medical evacuation, including a private jet with a medical escort, if that's needed. I don't take the cancellation coverage, just the medical coverage.
There's no coverage for evacuation for non-medical reasons, such as war breaking out. Things like that are covered in the full trip insurance, not the medical portion.
Tauck's insurance covers repatriation, I always get Tauck's insurance.
Just got this as part of an email from United Healthcare, as related to my AARP Medicare supplement:
Your Medicare supplement plan travels with you
Have vacation plans this summer? No problem. Your plan coverage follows you to all 50 states. Your plan also includes foreign travel emergency care, which can be used during the first 60 days of your trip. Care received will be covered so long as the service is something that would have been covered by Medicare in the United States. Your plan will pay 80% for medically necessary emergency care after you meet the $250 deductible.
When counting on insurance for overseas medical, you should be clear when payment or agreement to pay is made. It is not uncommon for services to not be provided, or discharge permitted, from an overseas provider, until they have been paid. So many coverages will repay you after the fact, but you still need to have some ability to outlay the cost during your moment of need. Good travel insurance policies with useful medical coverage include a payment advance or authorization mechanism so that payment is not a bar to treatment or discharge. On the medical evacuation front, also be sure to distinguish in various plans between evacuation to the nearest facility and evacuation once medically stable to a provider or facility back home. Some merely provide the former, which leaves you footing the bill for transfer back home.
All this talk of repatriation? If I died in Africa, I would want to stay in Africa. Scatter me on a game drive.