If you love vacationing, a cruise is an excellent choice for you. 13.9 million people took a cruise in the year 2021. Though the number of people who went on a cruise in 2020 was down due to the pandemic – many people flocked back to cruises in 2021 once they felt safer. The benefits of a cruise include being able to see multiple destinations at once, they are family-friendly, there’s a variety of activities on board, and cruises are easy to plan. However, what if you get sick aboard a cruise and need medical attention? That’s the last thing you will wish to happen. Will Medicare cover you?

Understanding Medicare

Understanding Medicare can be a journey. Medicare can feel intimidating at the beginning when it’s new to you. However, if you have some great resources to help you, it makes it a lot easier! It’s important to remember you’re not alone. Boomer Benefits has a helpful article on understanding Medicare which you can view here, boomerbenefits.com/understanding-medicare. 

Medicare Coverage on a Cruise

Now let’s get into Medicare coverage on a cruise! Is your cruise going to be along the U.S. waters or international waters? This will determine if Medicare pays for medical services.

If the cruise ship was within U.S. waters when you received medical care, Medicare might pay for these services. You must be within six hours of arriving or departing a U.S. port.

Suppose you got sick and received medical care while on the ship; your doctor would submit a claim to Medicare. If the doctor you got treated by does not have a U.S. office, you’ll need to mail your claim form and support documents directly to Medicare.

If an incident happens when you are in international waters, then Medicare will not cover the care. You can purchase a Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan to get around this. Some of these plans may cover medical care outside of the U.S. You can shop and buy a Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan from private insurance companies. These are voluntary plans that private insurance companies offer to help cover out-of-pocket costs from Medicare.

You can also use a travel agent and ask them about travel insurance with medical coverage for an international trip.

The Rare Occasion That Medicare Covers Cruise Vacations

As mentioned above, Medicare will only pay for medical coverage within U.S. waters. However, there are some occasions when Medicare may cover your international medical care:

• The closest hospital is in another country when a health emergency occurs in the U.S.
• Traveling between Alaska & the U.S. and a health emergency occurs when you’re in Canada.

As you can see, these situations are rare, but they are exceptions to when Medicare may cover international medical care.

You May Have Medicare in More Places Than You Think

Medicare coverage is not just in the United States but also in U.S. territories.

You can receive Original Medicare coverage in:

• Guam
• Puerto Rico
• U.S. Virgin Islands
• American Samoa
• The Mariana Islands

Many people do not realize this when they have Medicare coverage.

Conclusion

There’s nothing like the excitement of going on vacation. A cruise can be a great way to kick back and enjoy multiple destinations. Many Americans go on cruises as their form to escape and see the world. When you take a cruise, it’s important to note that Medicare does not cover medical care that happens internationally outside of the U.S. and its territories. It’s wise to get additional travel insurance or look into a Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan that offers this.

We hope this article has helped you to plan ahead for your cruise. Smooth sailing ahead!