Ask Kim
Traveling Medicare Coverage
Are there any restrictions on where a medigap policy can be used?
By Kimberly Lankford, Contributing Editor, Kiplinger's Personal Finance
May 23, 2005
I will turn 65 in July and am researching medicare supplement policies. We are full-time RV-ers, living in our motorhome and traveling throughout the country all year long. Are there any restrictions on where a medigap policy can be used?
You're in luck. Most medicare supplement policies can be used with any doctor or hospital that accepts medicare. As long as you get a traditional medigap policy -- not one that provides discounts to a preferred-provider network -- then you should get the same coverage anywhere your RV takes you.
That is not the case with medicare HMOs, which generally limit coverage to certain doctors and hospitals, except in emergencies.
Visit Medicare.gov's Personal Plan Finder or see your state insurance department's Web site for medigap prices (see the links to each state's regulator at our insurance page). For a personalized price list, order Weiss Ratings' Shopper's Guide to Medicare Supplement Insurance ($49).
Also keep your travels in mind if you decide to sign up for medicare's new prescription drug plan this fall. Make sure the plan you select is available at pharmacies throughout the country. You'll be able to find out more about each plan's details starting in October at Medicare.gov. For more information about the new prescription drug plan, see my column.