Does Medicare Supplement Plan K Cover Me for Travel Abroad

Does Medicare Supplement Plan K Cover Me for Travel Abroad? 

If you are receiving your health care coverage through Original Medicare benefits Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance), you are also eligible to sign yourself up for Medicare Supplement insurance. Plans like these are sold by private insurance companies as an option for extended Medicare coverage. Medigap plans provide beneficiaries with assistance in covering the “gaps” left by Original Medicare, such as copayments, coinsurances, and deductibles.

Today there are 10 standardized Medicare Supplement plans: A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N. If you’ve just enrolled in Medicare, you aren’t eligible for plan C or F, but the other plans are available for new enrollees. Since January 1, 2020, Medicare Supplement policies stopped covering the Medicare Part B deductible, making Plans C and F plans obsolete. However, if you were already enrolled in one of these plans before that date, you still get the coverage. 

It is important to note that if you live in Minnesota, Massachusetts, or Wisconsin, Medicare supplement plans are standardized differently, so check with your provider for details of coverage if you live in one of these states. 

If you’ve considered enrolling in a Medicare supplement insurance plan but aren’t sure whether you’ll get the coverage you need, here’s a look at Plan K to help you decide. 

Does Medicare Supplement Plan K cover traveling abroad?

For thousands of Medicare recipients who love to travel, an important reason for getting Medicare Supplement insurance is to have coverage when they’re away from home. There are several supplement policies available that offer this coverage – D, G, M, and N cover a percentage of emergency medical care costs when abroad, up to the plan’s limit. Unfortunately, Plan K doesn’t include this benefit.

What you have coverage for through Plan K are the following benefits:

• 100 percent coverage for your Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs for up to 365 additional days to use after your Medicare benefits end. 

• 50 percent of the total cost for your Medicare Part B coinsurances or copayments. 

• 50 percent of the cost for the first three pints of blood you might need during a health care procedure.

• 50 percent of the cost of your Medicare Part A hospice care coinsurances or copayments. 


• 50 percent of the cost for skilled nursing facility care coinsurances.


• 50 percent of your Medicare Part A deductible which is $1,484.00 per benefit period as of January 1, 2021. 

• As of January 1, 2021, the annual out-of-pocket limit is $6,220.00. This means that when you meet your out-of-pocket limit for the year and your Part B deductible for the year, Medigap Plan K kicks in and begins paying 100 percent of covered services for the rest of the calendar year.

If you purchase a Medicare Supplement plan like Plan K along with your Original Medicare benefits you’re responsible for paying your monthly Plan K premium, your Medicare Part B premium, Part A premium if this applies, and your Part B excess charges. Excess charges can occur if your health care providers legally charge you more than the Medicare-approved amount for services they provide. 

Also, with Medicare Supplement Plan K coverage, you are responsible for any emergency medical care you need while traveling outside the United States. 

If you are planning to add supplemental insurance coverage to your Original Medicare coverage, you should compare the available Medigap plans to find one that fits your health care needs.