International Health Insurance Plans Compared

Two types of international plans

Summary only. The plan documents control coverage, limits, and exclusions.

Long-term plan examples

BCBS Global Solutions’ long-term plans are for people who live outside their home country at least three months a year. Its plan page lists Worldwide Premier for individuals and families, Worldwide Education for students and teachers, Worldwide Crew for maritime crews, and Worldwide Non-Profit for mission, volunteer, and humanitarian workers. Coverage is underwritten, so an application can be accepted, accepted at a higher rate, or declined, and plans without U.S. coverage are also available.

Pre-existing condition waiting periods apply: up to six months on Worldwide Premier without prior coverage, and 12 months on the Crew, Education, and Non-Profit plans, reduced month for month by prior coverage.

Source: Cigna Global benefits page, October 2026. Deductible options run from $0 to $10,000, with 0% to 30% cost share. The customer guide controls.

Travel medical examples

Source: BCBS Global Solutions plan page, October 2026. Plans must be bought in your home country before you leave. The plan documents control.

Choosing the right plan level

Higher plan levels raise annual maximums and add benefits such as maternity, wellness, and dental, but cost more. On Cigna Global, for example, Silver has no routine maternity coverage, while Gold and Platinum offer it after 12 months of coverage. Decide which benefits you actually need before comparing prices.

Your choice of coverage area also drives price. Plans that include the U.S. generally cost more than plans that exclude it, and Cigna Global notes that plans excluding the U.S. still allow limited emergency hospital care on brief visits.

Deductibles and cost sharing

Long-term plans let you trade a higher deductible or cost share for a lower premium. Cigna Global, for instance, offers deductibles from $0 to $10,000, cost share of 0% to 30% after the deductible, and out-of-pocket maximums of $2,000 or $5,000. Choose an out-of-pocket level you could manage in a bad year. Also check whether the deductible applies per person or per family, and whether it resets each policy year.

International plans and Medicare

Original Medicare generally does not pay for care outside the United States. Medicare.gov lists three narrow exceptions for foreign hospital care: an emergency that happens in the U.S. when a foreign hospital is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat you; an emergency while driving the most direct route between Alaska and another state through Canada; and living in the U.S. when a foreign hospital is closer to your home than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat your condition.

Medicare Part D drug plans do not cover prescriptions you buy outside the U.S. On a cruise ship, Part B may pay for medically necessary care only if the ship is in a U.S. port or no more than six hours from one when you get care.

Some Medigap plans add a foreign travel emergency benefit. Plans C, D, F, G, M, and N pay 80% of billed charges for medically necessary emergency care that begins in the first 60 days of a trip, after a $250 yearly deductible, up to a $50,000 lifetime limit. Plans C and F are available only to people eligible for Medicare before 2020. Some Medicare Advantage plans cover emergencies abroad, but not all do, so check your plan's evidence of coverage for the words “foreign” or “worldwide.”

Questions to compare plans

• What is the annual maximum per person, and are there sublimits?
• Is routine care, maternity, dental, or vision included or optional?
• Does the plan include evacuation and repatriation?
• What are the waiting periods for pre-existing conditions?
• Can the insurer decline to renew, or raise my rate after claims?

Why international coverage matters

The U.S. Department of State says the U.S. government does not pay medical costs for citizens traveling abroad, and that Medicare and Medicaid do not pay for medical care outside the United States. It recommends asking your U.S. health insurer what it covers overseas, buying travel health insurance if it does not, and buying medical evacuation insurance for trips to higher-risk areas or places with limited medical care.

The department also notes that trip cancellation insurance usually does not pay for medical costs abroad, and that some travel medical policies pay hospitals directly instead of reimbursing you later.

For people living abroad, the same gaps apply year-round, not just on vacation, which is why long-term international plans exist.

Checking a plan and insurer

• Who issues the plan. Find the insurer’s legal name on the quote, not just the brand or website.
• License. Confirm the insurer and agent are licensed in your state through your state insurance department or the NAIC’s company and producer searches.
• Pre-approval rules. Ask whether you must call the assistance line before treatment or evacuation, since some plans reduce or deny benefits if you don’t.
• Direct billing. Ask whether the plan can pay hospitals directly or whether you pay first and file a claim.
• Exclusions. Read the exclusions for pre-existing conditions, hazardous activities, alcohol, and travel to countries under government warnings.

What an independent agency does

An independent insurance agency is licensed to sell policies from several insurance companies. Instead of quoting one company's products, an independent agent can compare options from the insurers the agency represents, explain the differences in coverage, and help you re-shop at renewal. The insurance company, not the agent, makes underwriting and claim decisions.

Blake Insurance Group is an independent agency. We work with clients by phone, email, and online in states where we are licensed, and we will tell you which insurers we can quote for your situation.

How we work

Blake Insurance Group serves clients by phone, email, and online in states where we are licensed. The insurers and plans we can offer depend on our appointments and your location; a company named on this page may not be available through us.

How to verify an insurer or agency

Before buying through any website or app, confirm who is selling you the policy and who will issue it:

1. Find the licensed agency or insurer named in the site's footer, terms, or license page.
2. Look up the agency or producer on your state insurance department's license search, or through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR).
3. Look up the insurer on your state insurance department's company search to confirm it is authorized in your state.
4. Save the insurer's name and policy number once issued, since that is who handles claims.

A legitimate service will make this information easy to find. Be cautious if you cannot identify the licensed entity.

Sources

We checked the facts on this page against the sources below in October 2026. Plans, prices, and rules change, so confirm current terms before you buy.

• BCBS Global Solutions: Long-term plans for living abroad
• BCBS Global Solutions: Single Trip plans
• Cigna Global: Plans and benefits
• Medicare.gov: Travel outside the U.S.
• AARP: Does Medicare cover me outside the U.S.?
• U.S. Department of State: Insurance coverage overseas

What to have ready for a long-term quote

These details help an agent quote accurately.

1. Traveler details. Names, dates of birth, and citizenship.
2. Where you will live. Country of residence and how long you will stay.
3. U.S. coverage needs. Whether you need coverage during visits home.
4. Health history. Long-term plans are medically underwritten.
5. Budget. Preferred deductible and annual maximum.

International health insurance plans FAQs

Related guides

• Travel medical insurance
• Medical evacuation and repatriation
• Pre-existing conditions and travel insurance
• Cost of travel insurance
• Travel insurance agency
• Expat insurance

Partner quote options

Your next step

Request a quote, and a licensed agent will compare options available to us for your situation.