Are you planning to travel outside the US? Then you should be aware of how your health insurance works during foreign travel.
Empire Plan coverage is available worldwide, primarily in the form of reimbursement. If Medicare is your primary insurance, you should be aware that Medicare does not provide coverage outside the United States (with a few exceptions).
If you require medical care while abroad, the American Embassy can usually provide names of reliable, English-speaking doctors. After receiving medical services, ask for copies of your medical records in English, if possible. Keep a receipt when you pay your bill. When you get home, submit the records to the appropriate Empire Plan administrator. The Plan administrators will reimburse you directly for covered expenses. If you are Medicare primary, remember that Medicare does not provide coverage outside the United States. If no other coverage is in effect, The Empire Plan is primary until you return.
The above paragraph was excerpted from the publication, On the Road with the Empire Plan. The publication is a must read for all New York State retirees who travel out of New York, both in the United States and internationally.
Click the buttons below to download the New York State publications or to learn more about Medicare and foreign travel.
Thanks to member Ed Nostrand for sharing the information about Medicare and foreign travel.
This week, the Senate passed the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 to repeal the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula that determines Medicare physician payments and extend the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for two years. Congress has acted 17 times to temporarily prevent drastic payment cuts resulting from use of the SGR formula. The “doc fix” bill replaces the SGR with alternative, value-driven payment strategies. This is good news for people with Medicare, who need to know their doctors will be there when they need them.