I put a relatively simple query into Google recently, after reading about a traveler injured in Switzerland. I asked:
"does my group health cover me outside the United States"
The responses were voluminous and consistent.
Florida Blue said
"Most domestic health insurance plans are not recognized outside of the United States, which means if you are unexpectedly ill or injured while traveling, you may have to cover the full costs."
The U.S. Department of State said:
"The U.S. government does not provide insurance for U.S. citizens overseas. We do not pay medical bills or unexpected medical costs. We highly recommend that you buy insurance before you travel."
"U.S. Medicare and Medicaid do not cover medical costs overseas."
"Private U.S. insurance policies also might not cover any or all expenses. Check with your insurance before traveling to see if it provides coverage overseas."
Nerdwallet cut to the chase and said:
"no." and"Check with your provider first. If your international coverage is lacking, look into travel insurance."
eHealth says:
"Health insurance rules and coverage details can vary by plan and location."
I have done a fair amount of traveling in my day. I wandered in the midst of the Great Panic, in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and more. See Remembrance (September 2021). Most recently, I finally heeded Vienna's call, with stops in Dresden, Berlin, Auschwitz, and more. See Vienna Waited (January 2025). I have stood on medieval walls, and walked the paths of history. See History in the Making (September 2021).
I have done the touristy and the expected: Big Ben, the Alps, and castles and ruins beyond number. Every time I bought a ticket to fly across the Atlantic, the airline prompted me to purchase travel health insurance. I have persistently declined. At least once, they tried to sell me again when I checked in for the flight. I have heard the shpeel many times. It always includes "your health insurance will not cover you outside the U.S."
On my latest trip, I obtained an "International Driver's License." Whether because of that, or otherwise, I received several email offers to buy travel health insurance from a company that had a brochure rack where I got the license. I was curious about that. Nonetheless, I have never purchased this coverage or felt the imperative to.
For this post, I clicked on an estimate calculator provided in a link by Forbes Magazine. For a 14-day policy covering travel to Switzerland, the cost was between $26.88 and $111.44. No, not per day, for the entire trip. In my history of travel, that is about a one-day food budget.
The Idaho resident who recently made the news suffered a skiing accident in Switzerland. He says he "flew a little too close to the sun" and the results were traumatic and catastrophic. The young man wants to return to the United States, and he and his supporters have been critical of his health insurance for not covering the Swiss care for his "shatter(ed) ... C-6 vertebrae" according to KSL.com.
The coverage on Yahoo was more accusatory, reprinting The Independent: "UnitedHealthcare refused to pay for rehab and transport." The stories do not mention that health insurance generally does not cover care in foreign countries. There is no mention of the minimal cost associated with purchasing the coverage that would provide care. There is recrimination, but little detail.
The skier is fortunate that various contributions have brought over 1,400 donations, totaling over one hundred thousand dollars. That is the generosity for which America is frankly famous.
The point, however, is that everyone should heed the warnings about international travel. I have scoffed and deferred. I have taken risks and suffered no consequences. Nonetheless, there is significant potential for consequences. There is a purpose and necessity to know and purchase the coverage you need. This is also true of auto, homeowners, wind, earthquake, flood, workers' compensation, and more.
We must all be responsible and active consumers. Businesses must know of workers' compensation coverage. Will employees travel out of state? Is that covered? Will an employee work in another state (virtual)? Is that covered? If the employee is in a monopolistic state, is that different? What if the employer is? There is much to know. What the skier teaches us is that the time to assess our individual needs is before the unexpected, catastrophic, or tragic.
The questions are important. The downside may be catastrophic. The research is not so difficult and is a worthy investment of time. After some event is the wrong time to learn you are not covered, or how simple it would have been to be covered.
