What anywhere in the U.S. means
Medicare.gov's comparison of Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage says that with Original Medicare you can use any doctor or hospital that takes Medicare, anywhere in the U.S. For Medicare, the U.S. means the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa.
So if you live part of the year in Sarasota and part in Buffalo, you can keep a primary care doctor in each place, see a specialist in either state, and be admitted to any hospital that accepts Medicare. Your card, your Part B premium and your deductibles are the same everywhere. You can find providers who accept Medicare in either state with Medicare's Care Compare tool.
One cost difference to know: a provider who accepts Medicare but doesn't take assignment can charge up to 15% above Medicare's approved amount. In Florida, physicians must accept assignment for emergency care, and if your main doctor accepts assignment, the specialists they send you to must too unless you agree otherwise in writing first (Fla. Stat. 456.056).
What doesn't travel the same way
- Medicare Advantage: covers emergencies and urgent care anywhere in the U.S., but routine care is tied to the plan's service area, and more than 6 months in a row away ends your enrollment unless the plan has a visitor or traveler program.
- Part D drug plans: you have one plan, tied to your permanent residence, and it pays at its network pharmacies. Out-of-network fills are covered only when you can't reasonably reach a network pharmacy.
- Medigap: a standard policy pays wherever Original Medicare pays. A Medicare SELECT policy needs its network hospitals for non-emergency care.
The full picture is in snowbirds and Medicare, and the two paths are compared in snowbirds: Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap.
Before you head south
- Confirm your doctors accept Medicare. Ask new Florida doctors whether they accept Medicare and take new Medicare patients.
- Check your drug plan's pharmacies. Make sure your Part D plan has network pharmacies near your Florida address.
- Pack your cards. Bring your Medicare card and any Medigap and Part D cards. See our snowbird Medicare checklist.
To review Medigap or drug plans from the companies they work with, you can request a call from a licensed insurance agent.
Related questions
Does Medicare Advantage cover snowbirds in Florida?
Emergencies, routine care and visitor programs.
Can snowbirds keep an out-of-state Medigap in Florida?
How Medigap follows Original Medicare.
How do snowbirds get prescriptions in two states?
Pharmacy networks and travel supplies.
Sources
- Medicare.gov — Compare Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage
- Medicare.gov — Travel outside the U.S.
- Medicare.gov — Care Compare
- Florida Statutes — s. 456.056, Treatment of Medicare beneficiaries
- eCFR — 42 CFR 422.74, Disenrollment by the MA organization
More questions in this guide
- Does my Medicare Advantage plan cover me when I'm in Florida for the winter?
- What happens to my Medicare Advantage plan if I stay in Florida more than 6 months?
- Does Medicare cover me if I live part of the year in Florida and part in Puerto Rico?
- Can snowbirds keep a Medigap policy bought in another state while in Florida?
- How do snowbirds get prescriptions filled in Florida and up north?
- Which state should I use for Medicare if I split my time between Florida and New York?
Part of the guide: Snowbirds and Medicare in Florida · All questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to tell Medicare I spend winters in Florida?
Not for Original Medicare, which works the same in every state. Social Security keeps Medicare's address records, so update your address there if you move permanently. If you have a Medicare Advantage, Part D or Medigap plan, give it a seasonal mailing address so plan mail reaches you.
Does Original Medicare cover me if I go from Florida to the Bahamas or Canada?
Usually not. Medicare generally doesn't pay for care outside the U.S., apart from rare cases such as some care on a cruise ship within 6 hours of a U.S. port. Some Medigap plans include emergency coverage abroad.
Can a Florida doctor refuse Original Medicare?
Yes, doctors can choose whether to treat Medicare patients. But under Fla. Stat. 456.056, a Florida physician who treats a Medicare patient for an emergency must accept Medicare's approved amount as payment in full.
Medicare in your Florida county
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