Medicare and insurance on a senior mission abroad
The Church requires good health coverage for every senior missionary. If you’re serving outside the U.S., Medicare needs a few decisions before you go.
What coverage you need
- Serving in your home country: Medicare or your national health plan is enough.
- Serving abroad: you need adequate coverage from your own insurer, or the Church’s Senior Service Medical Plan administered by Deseret Mutual (DMBA).
- Don’t drop insurance. Going without coverage is against policy and can mean reassignment or release.
Questions for Missionary Medical? Current contact details are on the official senior missionary medical page.
Sources: Senior missionary FAQ
Pausing Medicare Part B
Social Security has a special enrollment period for people volunteering abroad. To use it, the volunteer work must last at least 12 months, be sponsored by a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, and you must have health coverage while you’re away. When you come back, you have 6 months to re-enroll without a late penalty.
The Church’s FAQ asks seniors who pause Part B to keep U.S.-based coverage (such as the Senior Service Medical Plan) and warns that penalties can be lifelong if it’s done wrong. Social Security’s rule describes acceptable coverage more broadly. Because the details matter, get a written answer from Social Security and your insurer before you drop anything.
Plan for a gap in coverage. The Church’s senior missionary FAQ warns that if you disenroll from a plan, you may have to wait for the open enrollment period in the fall to enroll again and could be without coverage for a time. Medicare.gov gives a Special Enrollment Period to join a Medicare Advantage or drug plan for 2 full months after the month you move back to the U.S. Miss it, and you may have to wait for Open Enrollment (October 15–December 7). Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) before you leave and before you come home.
Sources: SSA POMS HI 00805.350 · Senior missionary FAQ · Medicare.gov: Special Enrollment Periods · Medicare.gov: Joining a plan
Steps before you leave
- Check your other coverage first. If you have a DMBA retiree plan, TRICARE for Life or similar, DMBA advises not to disenroll from Part B.
- Ask your insurer how a 12+ month mission abroad affects your plan, and get it in writing.
- If you pause Part B, DMBA explains you file Social Security’s request to end premium Medicare coverage, mark only Medical Insurance, cite HI 00805.350, and send a copy to Missionary Medical.
- Time it. The change takes effect at the end of the month after Social Security receives it, and you must already be serving outside the U.S. by then.
- Medicare Advantage: a plan may end your coverage if you’re outside its service area for more than 6 months.
Sources: DMBA Medicare FAQ · Senior missionary FAQ
Next steps
Questions
Is Medicare enough for a senior mission abroad?
No. Abroad you need adequate coverage from your own insurer or the Church’s Senior Service Medical Plan. At home, Medicare is enough.
Can I pause Medicare Part B on a foreign mission?
Possibly, if you serve abroad 12+ months for a 501(c)(3) and keep health coverage. Get written confirmation from Social Security and your insurer first.
Who do I call with questions?
Missionary Medical (contact details are on the official senior missionary medical page), plus Social Security and your own insurer.
Sources
. Unofficial: check your call packet and the Missionary Portal for your own details. Official pages and your leaders are always the final word. GotMyCall is unofficial and not affiliated with or endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.