Yes, your sister needs travel insurance.

Another vote for Insuremytrip.com. They are an independent insurance brokerage and offer plans from many different top tier companies. We've used them many times and have found them to be genuinely friendly, helpful and with the attitude of selling customers only what they need and not anything more. I've experienced that they compare policies from different insurance companies to provide a tailored recommendation.

The cost of these policies is relatively modest compared to the travel costs themselves. Most policies offer emergency evac to the US when medically indicated. It's probably not necessary but it does offer piece of mind.

Don't leave home without it!

I hope your sister has a nice trip.

Does a Medicare supplement cover non-US medical?

I think she just has plain Medicare, no supplements. There is some coverage if you have supplements. It is listed on the Medicare website.

Yes she needs travel insurance. A coworker of mine booked a cruise with his nephew. Well, the nephew got sloppy drunk, fell and broke his hip. He had to take a helicopter to Florida for treatment. From Mexico. Without travel insurance I cannot fathom what that would have cost him......

I always buy travel insurance. It's important to buy it within a few days of making your first trip payment or purchase in order to get the best rates and choices. (The questionaire on the website will ask you when you make the first payment, and if you still have any payments or purchases outstanding.) Another thing to compare between policies is whether the insurance quoted is "primary" (pays first when you need it), or "secondary" (pays after your existing health insurance is exhausted). I buy the "primary" coverage so there will be no delay in treatment while out-of-the-country providers are trying to verify health coverage. One more tip, don't skimp on the medical evacuation coverage. You may find yourself in health-trouble somewhere, where the medical care is not what you need, and you require evacuation. That can be eye-wateringly expensive, so I buy either $500K or $1 M depending on the destinations of each trip. Most policies have a 24-48 hour change your mind for a refund policy.

If I may also suggest looking into a rescue company that handles client evacuation for medical, political, natural disasters and what not.

we looked into this when DH was consulting in another country, it’s not as expensive as we thought it would be.

I just bought a policy today for DH's mission trip to Belize. Our medical insurance would work for medical care, but I was worried if he needed to be transported to another location. Or (heaven forbid) repatriated.

I bought it from Travel Guard, and thought it was very reasonable.

YES! DF (an emergency physician) is medical director for one of those companies and authorizes/approves payment for complex treatment and medical evacuation in other countries. Interestingly, sometimes, the care in other countries is higher level and lower cost.

I think it's safe to assume that medical care costs in any foreign country, including industrialized ones similar to the US, are substantially less expensive than here. Competence can vary with location. Abroad as here, quality and availability of needed services drop as you travel away from population centers and plummets in remote areas.

I’m looking at travel insurance right now, (traveling in September) and have been using Insure My Trip, recommended because I am over 69, and many companies don’t offer coverage to the elderly:)). I am looking specifically for primary (not secondary) coverage, and coverage should I need to extend my stay and quarantine in a hotel because I test positive for Covid while traveling, and of course, medical evacuation coverage of at least 500K. So far, I only see Trawick Safe Travels Voyager as a possibility. All my reservations are cancelable. I’m grateful for any advice about this.

Good info to know, chinacat, something many would want too.

Did insuremytrip say they didn't sell such coverage?

I had a “chat” and they recommended three, but when I compared the three, only Trawick mentioned it specifically.

Chinacat, you might check with the country you're traveling to. DH is going to Belize, and they are required to buy insurance from the government to cover Covid related delays and quarantine. It's only $18 for 21 days, and he can buy multiples as he will be there a month. But it is mandatory.

Thanks aok27502, I’m going to Europe and I don’t see that it’s required there, but that’s a good tip. After checking the price for Trawick via Insure My Trip, I also got a quote directly from the Trawick site that appears to be the same coverage for less than 2/3 the price. I plan to purchase a policy from them.