Before your next trip, do some research. If you discover limitations with your health plan, take the necessary steps in advance to get the coverage you think best meets your needs.
The first step is to contact your health insurance company to verify whether your emergency medical coverage extends outside the U.S. Contact the customer service department and ask these kinds of questions:
“In most cases, you'll get some coverage for care needed to treat an emergency, but you'll have to pay out-of-pocket and then submit for reimbursement after you return home,” says Lisa Zamosky, author of Healthcare, Insurance, and You: The Savvy Consumer’s Guide.