Insurance Health Insurance How Out-of-State Health Insurance Works Plans to Cover You When You're Out of State By Mila Araujo Updated on October 5, 2022 Reviewed by Samantha Silberstein In This Article View All In This Article Does Your Plan Cover Expenses Out of State? What Is Network Provider? Do You Need Travel Insurance? 5 Questions About Out-of-State Insurance HMO vs. PPO Health Plans What Are Multi-State Health Plans? Check Employer Benefits Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Photo: Cavan Images / Cavan / GettyImages If you're going on a trip soon, it's important to check if your health insurance covers you out of state. Depending on the type of health insurance plan, your benefits may be limited when you're out of state. Learn about what out-of-state medical expenses may be covered under your healthcare plan and what type of health plans you should consider if you expect to travel. Key Takeaways Before traveling, it's important to check your healthcare plan for coverage out of state since some plans don't offer or limit medical coverage.If your authorized provider does not include out-of-state, going "outside the network" can mean higher out-of-pocket costs or a claim denial.Be sure to ask your provider whether urgent care or emergency room care is covered out of state and what they define as an emergency.A few multi-state plans available through the Health Insurance Marketplace offer coverage nationally or across different states.If you don't have out-of-state coverage, buying supplemental coverage, such as medical travel insurance, might be necessary. Does Your Plan Cover Medical Expenses Out of State? In many cases, health insurance restricts you to a network of healthcare providers. Learning the terms of your health insurance policy will tell you whether your plan includes providers out of state or not. Figuring that out on your own could be tricky. You do not want to end up getting denied for a health insurance claim. The first step is to call your insurer and ask. What Is a Health Insurance Network Provider? Health insurance network providers are the medical service organizations. Your health plan has agreements with these groups to provide service to you. If your plan specifies a list of authorized network providers, then going "outside the network" could mean that have higher out-of-pocket costs. Your plan might also deny your claim, leaving you to pay the entire bill. Do You Need a Travel Insurance Policy? People do not always think about the type of health insurance they have when they are going to be out of state until it's too late. Find out what type of plan you have, and learn about its limitations. That will help you decide whether you need a travel insurance policy. Note You may need different types of coverage, depending on how often you travel. A one-time trip may merit different choices from regular travel across state lines. 5 Questions About Out-of-State Medical Insurance Before you leave on your trip, contact your insurer and ask these questions: 1. Are You Covered? Ask your insurer whether there are any local service providers at your destination that will cover you under your plan, and ask whether any states are restricted. Will the plan cover all states? 2. What Counts as an Emergency? Your health insurance plan might cover emergencies, but not all insurers share a definition of "emergency." A lot of people end up paying for expenses when the insurer decides that the case was not an emergency. Ask your insurer for the exact definition. It will help you decide whether you need to buy supplemental coverage, like health or medical travel insurance. 3. Is Urgent Care Covered? Ask whether urgent care facilities are covered or only emergency rooms. You don't want a claim denied for going to the wrong place. 4. What Is Covered Under Emergency Care? Ask what additional coverage is included in the emergency medical care for you and your family. For instance, if you are going to a remote spot, you may want to know about services like air ambulances. 5. How Do You File a Claim? Find out how claims payment works: Which documents will you need?Will you have to pay in advance and request reimbursement?Find out whether there are forms for out-of-network physicians' claims. HMO vs. PPO Health Plans There are different types of plans for health insurance. Learn more about HMO vs. PPO plans to decide which is better for you. For example, local HMOs might not have out-of-state coverage, but some PPO plans might provide you with care out of state. Others might not. Note If you need to check on out-of-network coverage, look at the provider directory. It will list the providers your plan allows you to use. What Are Multi-State Health Insurance Plans? Multi-state plans or MSP options are available through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Only some MSP plans offer coverage nationally or across different states. The term "multi-state health insurance" might lead you to believe that you would be covered in another state, but some multi-state plans restrict the coverage areas or might not cover you out of state. Note The term "MSP" only means that the plan is operated in multiple states. It does not mean that you have access to care in all states if you have an MSP plan. The network provider agreements in your plan will still apply. Look at the features of the plan before you buy. Compare them to PPOs that also offer out-of-state coverage so you can be sure the MSP is right for you. Check Employer Benefits If you have employee benefits plans or group health insurance, you can contact HR or your employer's plan administrator to find out more details. They will be able to tell you what is included in your plan and how it works. Employers sometimes offer travel insurance as part of an employee benefits package. That may be the coverage you need once you compare options. It pays to ask. Note One tip for planning out-of-state medical coverage is to think about whether you are traveling for business or personal reasons. Sometimes your employer's group insurance will provide coverage for you if you travel for work. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) How do I change my health insurance when I move out of state? If you move to a new state, you will need to apply for new health insurance. Even if you transfer within the same company, you may still need to submit new information and get an updated policy for your new location. If you get your health insurance through the HealthCare.gov Marketplace, you'll need to submit a new application there or through your new state's website if it has its own. How long after do I have after I move out of state before I have to change health insurance? In HealthCare.gov Marketplace plans, along with many employer-sponsored plans, a move is considered a qualifying life event that makes you eligible to enroll or change your plan. Job-based plans must provide a period of at least 30 days. On the Marketplace, you'll have 60 days after your move to apply for new coverage. Your employer may have different rules, and if you're new to a job, there may be an initial waiting period before you're eligible for coverage. Can you still be on your parents' insurance when out of state? Children are eligible to stay on their parent's health insurance until age 26, regardless of where they live. However, if you live in a different state from your parents, you may find that their coverage network doesn't fit your needs in a different location. If that's the case, you may want to explore your own coverage options. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources The Balance uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. "Health Insurance Plan and Network Types: HMOs, PPOs, and More." Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. "What You Should Know About Provider Networks," Pages 1-2. Office of Personnel Management. "An Overview of the Multi-State Plan Program," Pages 2, 10-13. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. "Multi-State Plan." Cigna. "In-Network vs. Out-of-Network Providers." Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. "Special Enrollment Period (SEP)." Kaiser Family Foundation. "I’m Covered Under My Parent’s Policy But I’m Moving to Another State. Can I Remain Covered as a Dependent?"