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Decision: unknown

The rules say that plans must pay for a medical service or item if regular Medicare would pay for it in this case. 
You can find this rule at 42 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section 422.101. 
 
The rules say that items and services furnished outside the United States are excluded from coverage except for 
the following services, and certain services rendered on board a ship: 
 
- Emergency inpatient hospital services where the emergency occurred: 
     ~ While the beneficiary was physically present in the United States; or 
     ~ In Canada while the beneficiary was traveling without reasonable delay and by the most direct route 
between Alaska and another State. 
- Emergency or nonemergency inpatient hospital services furnished by a hospital located outside the United 
States, if the hospital was closer to, or substantially more accessible from, the beneficiary's United States 
residence than the nearest participating United States hospital which was adequately equipped to deal with and 
available to provide treatment of the illness or injury; 
- Physician and ambulance services furnished in connection with a covered foreign hospitalization. Program 
payment may not be made for any other Part B medical and other health services, including outpatient services 
furnished outside the United States; 
- Services rendered on board a ship in a United States port, or within 6 hours of when the ship arrived at, or 
departed from, a United States port, are considered to have been furnished in United States territorial waters. 
Services not furnished in a United States port, or within 6 hours of when the ship arrived at, or departed from, a 
United States port, are considered to have been furnished outside United States territorial waters, even if the 
ship is of United States registry; and 
 
The term "United States" means the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the 
Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa and, for purposes of services rendered 
on a ship, includes the territorial waters adjoining the land areas of the United States. You can find these rules 
in Medicare Benefit Policy Manual Chapter 16, Section 60. 
 
The rules say that plans may choose the networks of providers available to enrollees and may require enrollees 
to obtain authorization before receiving services. You can find this rule at 42 CFR Section 422.112. 
 
The rules say that the plan must pay for emergency and urgently needed services. This rule applies whether the 
services are obtained in or out of the plan's network. This rule applies whether or not there is prior 
authorization for the services. The rules say that an emergency is defined as when a prudent layperson would 
believe that without immediate medical attention there would be serious jeopardy to his or her health. The rules 
say that urgently needed services are those needed because of an unforeseen illness or condition and it is not 
reasonable to get the services from the plan. Generally, these services are needed while the enrollee is outside 
of the service area. You can find this rule at 42 CFR Section 422.113. 
 
If you want to read these Medicare rules, you can go to this website www.medicareappeal.com. 
 
The Plan contract says that the Plan covers items and services in accordance with Medicare rules. The Plan 
contract says that the Plan covers worldwide emergency/urgent care. This coverage is limited to services that 
would be classified as emergency, urgently needed, or post-stabilization care had they been provided in the 
United States. Foreign taxes and fees are not covered. Enrollees pay $0 copayment for each worldwide 
emergency care, urgent care, and transportation service received outside of the United States, up to an annual 
limit of $50,000. You can find this information in Chapter 4 on page 95 of the Plan's 2020 Evidence of 
Coverage.