Most snowbirds assume their health coverage travels with them. Mostly, it does not. This guide covers what the main US and Canadian plans pay in Mexico, based on AARP's summary of Medicare rules (updated July 2026) and the Government of Canada's travel insurance page. It is general information, not advice. Check your own plan and insurer.
If you are on US Medicare
Original Medicare generally does not pay for medical services outside the United States or its territories. The exceptions are narrow, for example:
- An emergency in the US where the nearest hospital that can treat you is across the border (Canada or Mexico).
- Needing hospital care while living in the US when the nearest hospital is in a foreign country.
- Ambulance transport to a foreign hospital before admission for covered inpatient services.
Whether care counts as an emergency, rather than urgent, routine or elective, matters for almost every case. Medicare also does not pay for kidney dialysis or prescription medications outside the country.
Medigap
Medigap plans C, D, F, G, M and N cover emergency care abroad (and older plans E, H, I and J, which are no longer sold). Plans A, B, K and L cover nothing abroad. Plans C and F are closed to people who became eligible for Medicare in 2020 or later. The foreign-travel benefit works like this:
| Term | What it is |
|---|---|
| Coinsurance | The plan pays 80% of billed charges for certain medically necessary emergency care |
| Deductible | $250 per year, paid first |
| Time window | Care must begin within the first 60 days of the trip |
| Lifetime limit | $50,000 for foreign emergency coverage |
The 60-day window matters for snowbirds. The summary says care must begin within the first 60 days of the trip, and a winter stay is often longer than that, so ask your Medigap insurer how it counts a long stay.
Medicare Advantage
Most enrollees are on private Medicare Advantage plans. Some, not all, pay toward foreign emergency care, and coverage is limited and varies by plan. Check your plan's evidence of coverage for the words "foreign" or "worldwide," or compare plans in Medicare's Plan Finder.
If you have a Canadian provincial plan
The Government of Canada says provincial and territorial health plans rarely cover any of the costs of medical care outside Canada, and when they do, it is usually only a small part. It recommends buying travel health insurance before you leave. Two more points from the same page:
- Foreign hospitals can be expensive and may ask for cash up front. Some will not treat patients without enough insurance or money.
- Insurers base some decisions on government risk levels. A level 3 or 4 travel advisory, or a Travel Health Notice, may affect products and coverage, and insurers may decide not to pay medical claims.
Questions to ask before you buy a policy
These are practical questions, not rules from the sources above:
1. Does it cover emergencies only, or also follow-up care? 2. How many days per trip does it cover, and does that match a winter stay? 3. How does it treat pre-existing conditions? 4. Does it pay the hospital directly, or do you pay first and claim later? 5. Does it cover medical evacuation? 6. What does it exclude when a travel advisory is in place?
In Puerto Vallarta
Private hospitals treat visitors. As the Government of Canada notes for foreign hospitals in general, you may be asked to pay up front, so carry your insurance card and the insurer's emergency number, and keep every receipt and report for your claim. Our guide to hospitals and pharmacies covers what to do in an emergency.
Hospitals, doctors and pharmacies in Puerto Vallarta→Before comparing travel medical plans for a 1–6 month stay, confirm exact age, pre-existing condition exclusions, and evacuation limits in the policy wording.
✦ Compare SafetyWing travel medical insurance Check policy terms, pre-existing exclusions & country rules SafetyWing ↗ Run the PV Winter Budget Estimator & browse our 10-guide snowbird library→If you plan to stay beyond a winter season, residency changes your options. See the residency guide.
Residency for retirees→
