If you are considering a trip overseas, don’t assume that just because you have excellent medical, auto, and home insurance that you will have the necessary insurance protection. Therefore, it’s important to consider if you will need travel health insurance or some other applicable international travel insurance policy.
When you join a Medicare Advantage Plan, you use the health insurance card that you get from the plan for your health care. In most of these plans, there generally are extra benefits and lower co-payments than in the Original Medicare Plan. Most Medicare Advantage Plans are managed care plans, usually a health maintenance organization (HMO) or a preferred provider organization (PPO) and you may have to see doctors that belong to the plan or go to certain hospitals to get services.
Disability Insurance
If you are disabled and have Social Security Disability Insurance, you can join an advantage plan three months before to three months after month 25 of your disability.
Long Term Care
Part A Hospital Insurance - Most people don't pay a premium for Part A because they or a spouse already paid for it through their payroll taxes while working. Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) helps cover inpatient care in hospitals, including critical access hospitals, and skilled nursing facilities (not custodial or long-term care). It also helps cover hospice care and some home health care. Beneficiaries must meet certain conditions to get these benefits.
Dental Insurance
Dental coverage of some kind can help you ensure the health of your teeth and gums. Unfortunately, if you are bearing the full brunt of the cost of dental care you may find it difficult to pay your dentist bills. Without dental insurance coverage, you may be tempted to skip regular cleanings and checkups, a decision that could lead to serious dental health problems.
Vision Insurance
It's no surprise that vision insurance is misunderstood by many people. Depending on the reason for the doctor visit – a routine exam or an eye injury – it’s not always clear which doctor to visit.
Planning an overseas trip starts with planning for the unexpected. Purchasing additional insurance when you travel is one of the best ways to cover the unexpected. However, before you start researching travel insurance, review your current insurance policies. Check if you have any travel health insurance and/or international travel insurance coverage on any of your policies. Some homeowner’s insurance policies and renter's policies cover your personal property and liability (such as you accidentally hitting someone with your luggage and break a toe) anywhere in the world, so if you already have this coverage there is no point in buying more.