UNITED STATES—Hello, Toni: My husband and I are currently enrolled in Medicare with a Medicare supplement and Part D prescription coverage and will be moving to Italy, then returning to the United States in a few years. I understand that there is no coverage from Medicare for overseas expenses and that we should seek a medical plan in Italy if we have health issues while not in the United States.
Is there a way to suspend our Medicare coverage while we are overseas and reinstate it without a penalty when we return? It’s a large expense to have to pay Medicare Part B, Medicare supplement, and Part D premiums, and not be able to use the benefits. If we were to cancel our Medicare, the supplement, and Part D, what would we have to do when we return to Texas?
Thanks for your help with this Medicare issue. Part of our planning is figuring out our expenses while we are not living in the U.S.-Sandy from Houston
Hi Sandy: This is a great question because there are different situations when someone is living overseas. Will you or your husband be working full-time with employer benefits? Or are you just moving out of the U.S. for a few years to get away? That was not addressed in your question.
If you or your husband will be working with employer benefits, then you can delay Part B until you return to the United States without receiving a Medicare Part B penalty.
If neither of you will be working full-time with group health benefits, then I would advise you and your husband to remain enrolled in Medicare and keep your Medicare Supplement plan, because you never know what will happen to your health in the future. If you decide to drop your Medicare Supplement and return to the United States at a later date, both you and your husband will be subject to underwriting when you reapply for a new Medicare Supplement.
I’ve encountered other individuals, who moved overseas, stopped their Medicare Part B and then developed serious health issues. Upon returning to the United States, they re-enrolled in Medicare Part B only to discover that their Medicare Part B penalty goes all the way back to the day they turned 65 at a 10 percent penalty for each year since age 65 or when their Medicare Part A began.
Let’s say you and your spouse are 75 years old, and your Medicare Parts A and B began when you turned 65. When you return to the States and re-enroll in Medicare, then the Medicare Part B penalty will be 75 years minus 65 years which equals 10 years times 10% or a 100% penalty that is not for one month, but for each month for the rest of your and/or your spouse’s Medicare enrollment.
Sandy, because you are moving overseas and plan to return to the United States at a later date, during a Toni Says Medicare consultation (in person or by Zoom) the Toni Says Medicare team would advise the following:
–Do not disenroll from Medicare because you and your spouse will have to re-enroll in Medicare Part B and D and can receive Part B and Part D penalties.
–If you cancel your Medicare supplement and Part D prescription drug plan, then when you return to the States you can reapply for a new Medicare supplement which will involve underwriting and enroll in a stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan with additional Part D penalties.
–Another option, if you have health issues upon your return and cannot qualify medically (pass underwriting) for a Medicare Supplement, would be to enroll in a Medicare Advantage HMO/PPO plan with Part D prescription drug plan.
Take your time, Sandy, to explore your Medicare options because with Medicare, what you don’t know WILL hurt you! Contact the Toni Says Medicare team at info@tonisays.com or call (832) 519-8664 for assistance or to answer Medicare questions. Sign up for the Toni Says newsletter at www.tonisays.com to download Toni’s new Medicare 2026 First Steps guide.
