You have to verify that it covers anything outside the US at all, and how many days of coverage you get per year, too.  I knew someone who traveled a lot, assuming she was covered.  It turned out her company policy only covered her when she was on a business trip.

Medicare, for instance, doesn't cover you outside the US, unless you pick up some coverage with supplemental insurance.  Even then, it will probably only cover you for a few weeks or a couple of months at most.  Since many retirees like to take long trips, they will probably need additional insurance, which gets harder to get the older you get.

Fortunately Kaiser covers me, regardless where I am. But one day I will be retired and on Medicare. By then I am sure they won't cover it (health insurance keeps getting more expensive with less coverage at an alarming rate).

I would probably shop for something like complete trip coverage (luggage, health, itinary).

Andre

http://www.aguntherphotography.com

I totally agree that talking to your insurance is a very good idea before travelling. Just imaging having a traffic accident with subsequent intensive care and hospitalization for a longer time period - you will get a HUGE bill. This can even happen in Switzerland...

If you develop any chronic illness, as many people do as they get older, trip insurance will exclude anything related to the chronic condition.  So if you are diabetic and have problems, it won't be covered.   I know that there are currently Medicare plans that cover you for up to two months outside the US, because a friend just wrote that she signed up for one.  That's about the maximum time she would travel outside the US in a year, so that's perfect for her.

 I'm having a medical experience here in Malaysia, and I'll start a thread on it one of these days, maybe when I know how it all works out.

I have been lucky not to have that problem, but a friend of mine's sister became extremely sick on a trip and she was not covered, she was fine but the it cost ALOT and the issurance did not cover a thing.

Becoming sick on a trip can be really expensive, especially since local private hospitals sometimes take advantage of your situation - the public hospitals are often sub-standard and the private ones charge horrendous bills to foreigners... Without travel insurance you need to return home fast, but sometimes this simply is not possible.