While traveling is meant to be a joyous time, there’s always a chance you could experience an unplanned health issue during your stay. Navigating your care options in an unfamiliar place, or out of state, can be a challenge – particularly during the holidays. That’s why it’s important to understand the travel benefits and options included in your Medicare health. It’s a great way to ensure a happy – and healthy – holiday.
Here are five top tips to keep in mind if you head out of town this holiday season.
- Take advantage of virtual care.
When you’re away from your regular family doctor and need care for a non-life threatening medical issue, the emergency room or urgent care can seem like your only options. And during the holidays, in-person visits often come with longer than normal wait times. But if you have a sore throat, minor fever or sinus infection, a virtual visit with a doctor is a convenient, affordable alternative. (Remember: for health emergencies, you should always go to the nearest ER or call 911.) Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, virtual care connects you with a board-certified doctor with the click of a button. And for Medicare members, they’re often available through your primary care provider’s office or your health plan. Virtual care is a great option for:
- Allergies, bites and stings
- Sore throat, fever and headache
- Cold, cough and flu
- Diarrhea and heartburn
- Earache
- Pink eye, rashes and hives
- Check your travel benefits.
Your Medicare plan likely has benefits that travel with you. For example, Priority Health Medicare members traveling outside of Michigan can use this helpful travel information when using their plan with an out-of-network provider. Priority Health’s Medicare plans also include unlimited world-wide coverage for emergencies with the same copay as at home. Additionally, hospital stays are covered as an in-network benefit.
Priority Health Medicare Advantage plans also include an out-of-state travel benefit. This means when you visit any Medicare-participating provider in the U.S. outside of Michigan, you’ll pay in-network costs. Your health provider likely has travel-related information on their website, so check your plan details to know how to get coverage if you’re planning to leave the state this holiday season.
- Take advantage of any extra travel assistance.
Many health plans offer travel assistance to members, which eliminates the need to purchase additional – and often costly – medical or travel assistance coverage. At Priority Health, members and their dependents have access to Assist America® at no extra cost. Priority Health MAPD members can access this service as well. It’s available whenever members are traveling more than 100 miles from home or in another country. Coverage includes:
- Medical emergency services: Access to quality medical care including medical referrals, emergency medical evacuation, prescription assistance and more.
- Travel emergency services: Help with lost luggage or documents, legal and interpreter referrals and care of minor children and pets when experiencing a travel emergency.
- Pre-trip planning services: Visa and immunization requirements, security and natural disaster alerts and more. Multilingual, trained and emergency-dispatch certified assistance is available to help 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with one-touch access through the free app.
Not a Priority Health member? Your health plan may offer a similar travel service.
- Remember to plan ahead and pack accordingly.
No one wants to interrupt their turkey dinner for a trip to the pharmacy for ibuprofen or decongestant. Especially if you already have some that you could bring with you.
Are you currently taking prescription medications? Include enough medication to get your through your entire trip. If you have family traveling together, include a list of everyone’s medications, dosages and schedules in your bag. If you’re flying remember to keep medications in an easily accessible location, such as your carry on, in case a TSA agent needs to examine them.
- Protect yourself with preventive care.
A great way to travel healthy is to make sure you’re healthy before you travel. Take advantage of preventive care such as your annual check-up—which is included in most Medicare plans at no additional cost to you. For example, Priority Health Medicare Advantage members have a summary of many types of preventive care and screenings available as part of their plan.
Get your flu shot for the season before you hit the road. Even if you think it’s too late to get your shot in December, it’s not. Vaccination can still help well into flu season; as long as viruses are circulating it’s worth getting protected. With the season being so long and unpredictable influenza may spread as late as May.
Don’t let sickness, injury or other emergencies make traveling more complicated. Check with your primary care provider as well as your Medicare plan about services available to you. Safe travels!
Priority Health has HMO-POS and PPO plans with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Priority Health Medicare depends on contract renewal.
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