5 Travel Tips for Older Adults
January 18, 2024 | Kathy Ingulsrud
Taking a trip can be a fun and exciting time, however the preparations before leaving for a small or grand adventure can be a bit stressful. From travel and lodging plans, to-do-lists, checklists and itineraries there is a lot of work to do. One area of preparation that often goes overlooked is health and healthcare related. In this article, we’ll highlight the healthcare related travel tips and preparations that older adults can take to ensure peace of mind and ease, especially in the case of a medical emergency.
Check Your Medicare Coverage
As Medicare supplemental coverage is all different, it’s important to have a clear understanding of your plan and how you are covered when traveling. Many medicare advantage plans provide coverage when you leave your designated service areas, whereas others may not. Some Medigap policies may even cover some foreign travel, but not all do. Therefore, it’s imperative to know how you’ll be covered and consider additional coverage, especially if you are traveling outside of the country.
Here is some other information you will find helpful when planning your trip:
Traveling With Medicare Advantage: What You Need To Know
Traveling With Original Medicare And Medicare Supplements
Bring Your Medicare Card:
Often when traveling, we may think to leave behind important documents in pursuit of a lighter load and to keep them protected, but your Medicare card shouldn’t be one of them. It’s a small but vital piece of identification that ensures access to essential healthcare services if needed.
Notify Your Insurance Carrier:
Before you hit the road or board the plane, you’ll want to notify your insurance carrier of your travel plans. This can help streamline and simplify any medical care you receive and claims that are processed when you are outside of your plan’s service area. Some medicare insurance plans may even offer additional benefits that could be useful during your trip such as coordination of care and helping you identify nearby facilities if you end up needing to receive medical services.
Prescription Medications:
If you are taking any prescription medications, you will want to make sure you get refills before you begin your travel so that you have an adequate supply on hand. Additionally, making sure you have available refills and know exactly where you can obtain them while traveling will be helpful if you misplace your prescription or are on a more extended trip where you need refills before returning home.
Travel Medical Insurance:
Depending on your medicare health insurance coverage, where you are traveling to and for how long, it may make sense to obtain additional coverage through a travel medical insurance policy. Even if you have a health insurance plan, your coverage can be limited when traveling internationally. You may be responsible for the costs if you need to be treated, hospitalized, or evacuated elsewhere.
Learn More About Travel Health Insurance
Taking a little extra time in your travel preparations and following these tips will help ensure a smoother and more enjoyable time on your travels. Your health and peace of mind are paramount, especially when away from home. By considering these healthcare-related aspects of your trip, from Medicare coverage to essential documents and medical insurance, you’re not just planning a vacation but preparing for a worry-free adventure.
Choosing a Medicare plan can be difficult. Twin City Underwriters helps Medicare recipients in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Florida find the Medicare plan that meets their unique needs. Schedule a one-on-one meeting with one of our Medicare insurance brokers to get your questions answered!
Do you need help with Medicare, insurance and health plans? Explore your options with Allina Health Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield of Minnesota, Medica, UCare, United HealthCare and more. We work with you to find the best plan for your needs and budget. Contact us today to get started.
