U.S. Medicare countries: What You Need to Know About Healthcare Access and Medical Tourism

When you're on U.S. Medicare, a federal health insurance program for Americans 65 and older and some younger people with disabilities. It's designed to cover care within the United States and its territories. But what happens when you need surgery, a specialist, or long-term care — and the cost is too high or the wait too long? Many people start asking: Are there U.S. Medicare countries where I can get care cheaper? The short answer? Medicare doesn't pay for most care outside the U.S. Not in Canada, not in Mexico, not in India, and not in Thailand. There are rare exceptions — like emergency care on a cruise ship or if you live near the Canadian border and the closest hospital is in Canada — but for the vast majority, Medicare stops at the border.

That’s why so many Americans turn to medical tourism, the practice of traveling to another country for affordable, high-quality medical treatment. Also known as health tourism, it’s grown quickly as drug prices and hospital bills in the U.S. keep rising. People are flying to places like India, Thailand, and Mexico for heart surgery, joint replacements, and even weight-loss drugs like Wegovy — often saving 50% to 80%. Some even move temporarily to states like Mississippi, where the cost of living is lowest, to recover after surgery without draining their savings. And while Medicare won’t cover it, private insurance, health savings accounts, or out-of-pocket payments make it possible. The real question isn’t whether Medicare works abroad — it’s how you pay for care when it doesn’t.

What you’ll find in the posts below isn’t a list of countries where Medicare is accepted. It’s a collection of real stories and facts about how Americans navigate care when the system falls short. You’ll learn how much open-heart surgery costs in Australia, why some seniors in their 90s are getting cardiac procedures with great results, and how to get a medication passport so you can bring your prescriptions safely across borders. There’s advice on blood tests to track your health before travel, how to check if an online pharmacy like WISP is legit, and what to expect after a heart transplant — the hardest surgery to recover from. These aren’t theoretical guides. They’re practical, lived experiences from people who chose a different path because the U.S. system didn’t give them one.