Summer means it’s time to travel. And time to explore. Whether it’s exploring our great state of Nebraska, traveling within the country or abroad, it would be a good idea to add “learn about my health insurance travel network” to your to do list before you leave.
If you are insured through your employer, you may or may not have access to a nationwide network of providers – doctors, hospitals, urgent care clinics, pharmacies, etc. You may also be covered to travel internationally. Check with your HR team to know how you can use your health insurance while you are away from home.
If you are on Medicare, it will depend on the type of plan that you have. In general, Medicare is a US based benefit that does not offer international coverage. A Medicare Supplement policy allows you to use any provider that is contracted with Medicare anywhere within the US and may offer a limited amount of international coverage. Medicare Advantage plans offer very little international coverage, and you should also be aware of network issues while traveling in the states.
If you have coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace (Healthcare.gov), you will have coverage for emergency-only services when you are out of state. Urgent care visits may also be covered. There is no international coverage, so an additional travel policy is essential.
In our post-Covid world, nearly every plan offers some kind of tele-health / tele-doc coverage. Many plans offer 24/7 access to this type of care for non-emergency cases. These services can often be accessed through an app on a smartphone and can eliminate the need to find an “in-network” doctor.
Keeping current on your plan information will help you and your loved ones be prepared to avoid the stress of dealing with medical issues if your travel plans lead to a trip to the local doctor.
International travel medical plans are available at a very reasonable price. When you are traveling internationally, you will typically be responsible for paying the medical charges at the time of service and will submit a claim for reimbursement to your insurance company when you return home. Get receipts!
If your travel plans include any “extreme sports” such as mountaineering, scuba diving, hang gliding, or bungee jumping, you need to confirm whether your health insurance will cover it. There can be exclusions for high-risk activities.
Have a great summer. Contact ComPro at 402.488.5100 with any questions about your health insurance. They are your trusted and local resource for health insurance plans for Employee Benefits, Individual & Family and Medicare! For more info, visit www.comproins.com.
By Krista Peeks Dittman – Agent, Individual & Senior Benefits
