Medicare coverage while travelling

To make one other point, you have only one opportunity to get a supplement without medical underwriting - when you first get medicare- unless you move. Once you have a supplement, you can switch, but take an advantage upfront and you may find it difficult to get out of advantage if the premiums get too bad. And they can be bad. I had a knee replacement under advantage, and it was mire than $3000 in copays for all of the required stuff - pt, imaging, hospitalization, etc. Second knee done under Medigap, $0. The prescription drug plans with the advantage plans are really bad - my drug costs are half with a free standing plan.