The general rule
Medicare.gov says Medicare usually doesn't cover health care while you're traveling outside the U.S. Federal regulations (42 CFR 424.121) say Part A pays for inpatient care in a foreign hospital, and Part B for related doctor and ambulance services, only under specific conditions; all other services outside the U.S. are excluded. That matters in northwest Washington, where many people cross the border at Blaine, Lynden and Sumas to visit family, shop or travel in British Columbia.
The three exceptions
- An emergency that begins in the U.S. (42 CFR 424.122). You were in the U.S. when the emergency happened, and the Canadian hospital was closer to, or more accessible from, the site of the emergency than the nearest U.S. hospital equipped and available to treat you. This can come up near the border.
- Driving between Alaska and another state (42 CFR 424.122). The emergency happened in Canada while you were traveling without unreasonable delay by the most direct route between Alaska and another state, and the Canadian hospital was closer than the nearest U.S. hospital able to treat you. Washington drivers heading north on the Alaska Highway are the people this rule was written for.
- A Canadian hospital closer to your home (42 CFR 424.123). You live in the U.S., and a foreign hospital is closer or more accessible to your home than the nearest U.S. hospital equipped and available to treat your condition, emergency or not. The hospital must be licensed and accredited by the Joint Commission or an equivalent approved program. In Washington, this question can arise for residents of Point Roberts, which is reachable by land only through Canada.
Under 42 CFR 424.124, Part B then pays for doctor services during the covered stay (or on the day of admission for the same condition) and for ambulance services when other transportation would be unsafe. You pay the usual Medicare deductibles and coinsurance, and Medicare generally won't pay for a return ambulance trip home. Canadian hospitals don't have to bill Medicare, so you may need to send Medicare an itemized bill yourself.
Medigap foreign travel emergency coverage
Medigap Plans C, D, F, G, M and N include a foreign travel emergency benefit. It covers emergency care that begins during the first 60 days of a trip outside the U.S.; after a $250 yearly deductible, it pays 80% of the cost, up to a $50,000 lifetime limit. It doesn't cover planned care. See Medigap in Washington and snowbirds and Medicare.
Medicare Advantage and Part D
Medicare doesn't require Medicare Advantage plans to cover care outside the U.S. A plan may offer emergency coverage abroad as an extra benefit. Extra benefits vary by plan and county, may have limits and costs, and not every plan offers them. Check a plan's Summary of Benefits or Evidence of Coverage. Medicare drug plans don't cover prescriptions bought in Canada.
Get help
To compare Medigap or Medicare Advantage plans from the companies they work with, you can talk with a licensed insurance agent with Benefits Life at (206) SENIORS (206-736-4677), TTY 711, or see plans in your ZIP code.
Related questions
Does Medicare cover ambulance, ferry or airlift from the islands?
Getting to care from the San Juans and other islands.
Can I switch Medigap plans in Washington?
Adding travel coverage by changing plans.
Does TRICARE For Life require Part B?
Coverage that works overseas for military retirees.
Sources
- eCFR — 42 CFR part 424, subpart H: Payment for services furnished outside the United States (424.121–424.124)
- Medicare.gov — Travel outside the U.S.
- Medicare.gov — Choosing a Medigap Policy (foreign travel emergency benefit)
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection — Border wait times (Blaine, Lynden, Sumas, Point Roberts)
Frequently asked questions
Does Medicare cover me in Vancouver or Victoria?
Not for routine care or most emergencies on a trip. Medicare usually doesn't cover health care outside the U.S. Medigap Plans C, D, F, G, M and N include foreign travel emergency coverage, and travel insurance is another option.
I'm driving to Alaska through British Columbia and the Yukon. Am I covered?
Partly. If a medical emergency happens while you are traveling through Canada without unreasonable delay by the most direct route between Alaska and another state, Medicare may pay for inpatient care at a Canadian hospital that is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital able to treat you, plus related doctor and ambulance services.
What about Point Roberts?
Point Roberts, Washington, can be reached by land only through Canada. Federal rules let Medicare pay for inpatient care in a foreign hospital that is closer to or more accessible from a U.S. resident's home than the nearest U.S. hospital able to treat the condition, if the hospital meets accreditation requirements. Whether that applies to a particular stay is Medicare's decision.
Does Part D cover prescriptions filled in Canada?
No. Medicare drug plans don't cover drugs bought outside the U.S., so those purchases don't count toward your deductible or the $2,100 yearly cap in 2026.
Medicare in your Washington county
Plans, local agents and help, county by county: Adams · Asotin · Benton · Chelan · Clallam · Clark · Columbia · Cowlitz · Douglas · Ferry · Franklin · Garfield · Grant · Grays Harbor · Island · Jefferson · King · Kitsap · Kittitas · Klickitat · Lewis · Lincoln · Mason · Okanogan · Pacific · Pend Oreille · Pierce · San Juan · Skagit · Skamania · Snohomish · Spokane · Stevens · Thurston · Wahkiakum · Walla Walla · Whatcom · Whitman · Yakima
