If you’re planning to be away from home for something like school, vacation, or a business trip, there are plenty of ways to prepare yourself for a healthy experience. Find answers to common care, cost, and coverage questions here.

Note: If you’re planning a more permanent relocation, like moving, contact Member Services to discuss your coverage options.

Preparing for your trip

In-person Kaiser Permanente care is available in many areas across the United States, including all or parts of:

  • California
  • Colorado
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • Maryland
  • Oregon
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • Washington, D.C.

You can get care in these areas and find Kaiser Permanente locations at kp.org/kpfacilities.

If you’re traveling to another Kaiser Permanente area, you can get most of the same routine and specialty care you’d receive near home.1 For specialty care, make sure you’ve been referred by a Kaiser Permanente clinician or affiliated provider in the area you’re visiting.

Across the U.S., you can also get 24/7 care from a Kaiser Permanente clinician by phone or online. Sign in to your kp.org account to find the right care method for you and get started. 

And remember: As a Kaiser Permanente member, you’re covered for emergency and urgent care anywhere in the world.If your visit is in the U.S., you can often pay your normal copay or coinsurance for prescriptions you receive too — no need to file a claim for reimbursement later.3,4,8

Find out more about your care options on the “How to get care while you’re traveling” page. 

To learn more about the services covered under your specific plan, check your Evidence of Coverage or call the Away from Home Travel Line at 951-268-3900 (TTY 711).5

There are plenty of ways to plan for a healthy trip. Here are some ways to make sure you’re prepared to get care if you need it:

What to do before traveling

  • Consult your doctor if you need to manage a medical condition during your trip.
  • Refill your eligible prescriptions, including contact lenses, to have enough while you’re away. Be sure to refill at least 1 to 2 weeks before your trip so there’s time to process your request — especially if you need more refills than usual.
  • Ensure your immunizations are up to date, including your yearly flu shot and the updated COVID-19 vaccine. Plan to get tested for COVID-19 too, if necessary. 
  • Register on kp.org so you can see your health information and track and manage your care online. You’ll also be able to email nonurgent questions to your Kaiser Permanente care team and get a response usually within 2 business days. 
  • If you plan to get care in a different Kaiser Permanente area, create a new medical record number for the area you’re visiting by adding an area of care to your kp.org account. For more information, you can visit our support center or call the Away from Home Travel Line at 951-268-3900 (TTY 711). 
  • Get our Kaiser Permanente mobile app to stay connected when you’re on the go. You can also bookmark kp.org/travel and save the Away from Home Travel Line phone number to your mobile device for travel support anytime, anywhere. 

What to research before traveling

What to pack for your trip

  • Keep your prescriptions easily accessible. If you travel by plane, keep your medications in your carry-on baggage, in case your checked bag goes missing.
  • Take along your physical or digital Kaiser Permanente ID card, which include important phone numbers on the back. Your digital card can be found on the Kaiser Permanente app. Or you can take your Kaiser Permanente Travel Card which was mailed to you or your subscriber. You can also print your Travel Card from your kp.org account, or your subscriber’s account.
  • Make sure you pack a COVID-19 self-test prior to traveling. Visit kp.org/covidtests for ways to get a self-test. 
  • Bring a printed summary of your electronic health record in case you don’t have internet access while you’re away.6

What you pay for care depends on your plan, but how and when you pay for care may depend on where you’re traveling. Here’s what to expect when you get care away from home, so you can avoid financial surprises later.

In a Kaiser Permanente area: If your plan lets you get care when you visit another Kaiser Permanente area, you’ll pay what you normally would — for example, a copay, coinsurance, or deductible payment. If what you pay doesn’t cover all of what you owe for the care you received, you’ll get a bill for the difference later. 

For more specific information on your coverage, please check your plan details. If you’re a WEX financial account holder, you may have a different point-of-service payment experience than you do at home. Any costs incurred while you’re traveling will need to be manually submitted to your financial account for reimbursement.

Outside of a Kaiser Permanente area: For emergency or urgent care in the U.S., the facility may bill Kaiser Permanente directly.2 But you’ll still need to pay any copays, coinsurance, or deductibles that apply under your plan.7 In some cases, you may be asked to pay upfront for services you receive. In this case, you’ll need to file a claim for reimbursement.

Outside the U.S.: In many countries, providers require payment before giving care. Costs can be high, so be ready to cover any unexpected costs. You may want to get extra travel insurance for your trip. To request reimbursement through your health plan, you’ll need to submit any bills or invoices to Kaiser Permanente for review and processing. If you need help coordinating your care or payment while traveling internationally, call the Away from Home Travel Line at 951-268-3900 (TTY 711).5

It’s important to remember that how you get care can vary depending on where you are. So, plan ahead and find out what emergency and other medical services are available where you’ll be traveling.

Reimbursement: You can request a reimbursement for emergency or urgent care when you pay for it out of pocket.2,7,8 Just be sure to submit a claim for reimbursement once you get back home. For details on filing a claim, visit the “How to get reimbursed for care after you travel” page.

Preparing for college

Going away to college can be challenging. But a little planning can make a big difference. Here are a few easy ways to prepare for college:

  • Create a kp.org account to track and manage your Kaiser Permanente care online and email your care team with nonurgent questions anytime. If a parent or caregiver is helping to manage your care, set up Act for a Family Member
  • If you’re managing a health condition, see your doctor before you go.
  • Take care of any routine care needs before heading to school — like checkups and flu shots, as well as support for mental health, sleep issues, and infectious diseases.
  • Refill your prescriptions, including contact lenses. Be sure to order refills at least 1 to 2 weeks before you need them so there’s time to process your request. In some states, you may be able to get your prescriptions delivered to you at no extra cost.9
  • Check with your school to see if you need a student health plan or international travel coverage.
  • Download these wellness apps for help navigating life’s challenges, like how to improve your sleep, mood, relationships, and more.

If you ever have questions about your Kaiser Permanente health coverage, care, and claims while you’re away, call the Away from Home Travel Line at 951-268-3900 (TTY 711).5

If you’re in a different Kaiser Permanente area for college and want to receive care in person or online, you’ll need to create a new medical record number for the area you’re in.10

  • Sign in to your kp.org account on a desktop computer. Select “Add an area of care” and follow the prompts to create a medical record number for the area you’re visiting. For more information, visit our support center.
  • If you don’t have a kp.org account, or need additional assistance, please call the Away from Home Travel Line at 951-268-3900 (TTY 711).5

After you get your new medical record number, you’ll be able to schedule appointments right away, plus track and manage the Kaiser Permanente care you get while traveling.11

You don’t need a new medical record number to access urgent or emergency care.2

Learn more about the types of Kaiser Permanente care you can get while you’re away.

You’re covered for urgent and emergency care anywhere in the world.2 For routine care (such as checkups, preventive screenings, and flu shots), consider signing up for a student health plan through your college. Keeping up with routine care means you can:

  • Get routine physical exams
  • Get tested for sexually transmitted infections (like chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV) and receive prevention information
  • Keep track of your mental health, such as your risk for depression
  • Learn about substance use disorder and how to avoid it
  • Discuss your weight management and fitness needs

Routine care also includes:

  • Office visits
  • Outpatient surgery (with certain exceptions)
  • Allergy tests and allergy injections
  • Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
  • Prenatal and postnatal care

Keep your Kaiser Permanente coverage so you can:

  • Get care at home during school breaks
  • Keep in touch with your personal doctor
  • Access your electronic health record

Across the U.S., you can also get 24/7 care from a Kaiser Permanente clinician by phone or online — always tracked in your electronic health record. Sign in to your kp.org account to find the right care method for you and get started.

Managing your care while you travel13

If you’re traveling and want to receive care in a different Kaiser Permanente area, you’ll need to create a new medical record number for the area you’re visiting.10

  • Sign in to your kp.org account on a desktop computer. Select “Add an area of care” and follow the prompts to create a medical record number for the area you’re visiting. For more information, visit our support center.
  • If you don’t have a kp.org account, or need additional assistance, please call the Away from Home Travel Line at 951-268-3900 (TTY 711).

After you get your new medical record number, you’ll be able to schedule appointments right away, access 24/7 care by phone or online, and track and manage the Kaiser Permanente care you get while traveling.11

You don’t need a new medical record number to access urgent or emergency care.2

Yes. Across the U.S., members can get 24/7 care from a Kaiser Permanente clinician by phone or online — always tracked in your electronic health record. Sign in to your kp.org account to find the right care method for you and see what is available.

As a member, you can get most of the same services you would get in your home area when visiting another Kaiser Permanente area, including:1,13,14,15

Inpatient services

  • Hospitalization, including inpatient surgery and other services you may get while you’re admitted

Outpatient services

  • Office visits
  • Urgent care
  • Outpatient surgery (with certain exceptions)
  • Allergy tests and allergy injections
  • Physical, occupational, and speech therapy16
  • Prenatal and postnatal care
  • Chemotherapy
  • Vision exams (if covered in your home area)

X-ray and lab services

  • In or out of the hospital

Prescription drugs

  • If the drug is covered in your home area

Mental health/chemical dependency services

  • Same coverage as in your home area

Skilled nursing facility services

  • Home health care services:17 part-time or intermittent home health care services inside a Kaiser Permanente area
  • Hospice services: home-based hospice services inside a Kaiser Permanente area 

Certain types of care require approval by Kaiser Permanente. If these services are included in your plan and available in the area you’re visiting, they’re available to you but require approval from your home area:

  • Fertility, artificial conception, and related services
  • Gender-affirming surgery and related services
  • Bariatric surgery, treatment, and related services
  • Organ and blood/marrow transplants and related services
  • Durable medical equipment
  • Chronic dialysis
  • Orthotics and prosthetics

To learn more about the services covered under your specific plan, check your Evidence of Coverage, Certificate of Insurance, or Summary Plan Description, or call the Away from Home Travel Line at 951-268-3900 (TTY 711).5

The following services, equipment, and supplies aren’t available to you in other Kaiser Permanente areas:

  • Services not covered under your plan as described in your Evidence of Coverage or other coverage documents.
  • Dental services and orthodontic services (such as dental X-rays and braces) that are unrelated to covered medical treatment of the mouth or jaw.
  • Alternative medicine and complementary care.
  • Hearing aids, unless you have a self-funded EPO plan. Hearing aids are available to self-funded EPO plan members when in other Kaiser Permanente areas. 

For more information about getting care in another Kaiser Permanente area:

  • Refer to your Evidence of Coverage or other coverage documents.
  • Contact Member Services
  • If you’re in a self-funded EPO plan or a point-of-service, preferred provider organization, or out-of-area plan, call the number on your Kaiser Permanente ID card.

You’ll find more detailed, up-to-date information about getting care in the following document(s) that apply to your health coverage:

  • Evidence of Coverage (EOC), if your coverage is directly through Kaiser Foundation Health Plan
  • Certificate of Insurance (COI), if your coverage is directly through Kaiser Permanente Insurance Company
  • Summary Plan Description (SPD), if your coverage is through your employer’s self-funded plan

Contact Member Services to request a copy of your EOC or COI. To request a copy of your SPD, contact your employer.

You’re covered for emergency and urgent care anywhere in the world.2 And if your visit is in the U.S., you can often pay your normal copay or coinsurance for prescriptions you receive — no need to file a claim for reimbursement later.3,4,8 To learn more about getting care outside of a Kaiser Permanente area, visit the “How to get care while you’re traveling” page.

Most Kaiser Permanente plans don’t cover routine care (like checkups, preventive screenings, and flu shots) outside of a Kaiser Permanente area, so make sure to get them before your trip.13 If you’ll be away for a long period of time, call the Away from Home Travel Line at 951-268-3900 (TTY 711) to learn about your coverage options.5 Some plans may direct you to purchase supplemental coverage for routine care, like a student health plan. 

Learn more about preparing for college.

Reviewed: January 2023
© 2023 Kaiser Permanente

1These services are covered as long as they’re provided or referred by a Kaiser Permanente provider or affiliated provider in the area you’re visiting. These services are subject to the terms and conditions, including prior authorization, approval, and copay, coinsurance, or deductible requirements, of your plan coverage issued in your home area.

2If you believe you have an emergency medical condition, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. For the complete definition of an emergency medical condition, please refer to your Evidence of Coverage or other coverage documents.

3Medicare and Georgia commercial members are required to pay upfront and seek reimbursement for any urgent and emergency care or pharmacy services received outside of Kaiser Permanente states.

4Only commonly prescribed acute care medications made during an urgent or emergency care visit outside of Kaiser Permanente states are included in this benefit. Maintenance medications (like for blood pressure, diabetes, or cholesterol) and high-cost or specialty medications aren’t included, so you’ll have to pay upfront for them and file a claim for reimbursement.

5This number can be dialed inside and outside the United States. Before the phone number, dial “001” for landlines and “+1” for mobile lines if you’re outside the country. Long-distance charges may apply, and we can’t accept collect calls. The phone line is closed on major holidays (New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, July Fourth, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas). It closes early the day before a holiday at 10 p.m. Pacific time (PT), and it reopens the day after a holiday at 4 a.m. PT.

6These features are available when you register on kp.org and seek care from Kaiser Permanente providers.  

7Medicare members should check their Evidence of Coverage (EOC) for more details. In the Mid-Atlantic States Region, all Direct Pay Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus High Option and Standard Option plan members have worldwide emergency care and urgent care coverage, and all Direct Pay Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus Basic Option plan members have emergency care and urgent care coverage while inside the United States and its territories only.

8The amount members are reimbursed will depend on what their copays or coinsurance are, whether they have a deductible, and other plan limitations, consistent with the terms of the member’s Evidence of Coverage or other coverage documents.

9Kaiser Permanente prescription delivery is not available in Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, or South Dakota.

10You can add an area of care to your own account only. You won’t be able to add an area of care for someone else if you’re acting as their caregiver.

11When appropriate and available. If you travel out of state, phone appointments and video visits may not be available in select states due to licensing laws.Laws differ by state.

12When you get care in other Kaiser Permanente service areas, your home-area claims and appeals, or grievance processes, still apply. Members can file a grievance with or without a denial letter. See your Evidence of Coverage, Certificate of Insurance, or Summary Plan Description for details.  

13When visiting smaller Kaiser Permanente areas of care, you can still receive in-person medical treatment, but it will likely be through an affiliated provider. Call the Away from Home Travel Line at 951-268-3900 (TTY 711) for more details.

14Visiting member benefits are not available to HSA, Medicaid, and QUEST plan members. Contact Member Services in your home area for details.

15This does not include a complete list of exclusions or available services. Services may vary by service area. Please refer to your Evidence of Coverage, Certificate of Insurance, Summary Plan Description, or Membership Agreement for details of your specific coverage. For more specific information about visiting member services, call the Away from Home Travel Line at 951-268-3900 (TTY 711).

16For members in Maryland, coverage for physical, occupational, and speech therapy is different. Call Member Services to learn more.

17Certain limitations apply to home health care.