Emergency and Urgent Care Services Worldwide

Emergency and Urgent Care Services

You're covered for emergency and urgent care anywhere in the world.1 If you're traveling in another Kaiser Permanente service area, you can also get most routine and specialty care as a visiting member,2 subject to the limitations and exclusions in your Evidence of Coverage, Certificate of Insurance, or Summary Plan Description issued by your home region. For specialty care, make sure you've been referred by a Kaiser Permanente doctor in the Kaiser Permanente service area you're visiting.

Check your Evidence of Coverage, Certificate of Insurance, or Summary Plan Description for more details.3

To learn more about the services covered under your specific plan, call the Away from Home Travel Line at 951-268-3900.4

Emergency and urgent care while away from home (PDF)

Visiting Member Services

When you stay in another Kaiser Permanente service area, you can get most of the same services that you would get close to home.5,6

We've got you covered. When you need care, go to the nearest Kaiser Permanente location. When you come home, you'll be able to use your existing care team. You can get the following services in another Kaiser Permanente service area:

Inpatient services
Hospitalization, including inpatient surgery and other services you may get while you're admitted

Outpatient services

  • office visits
  • outpatient surgery (with certain exceptions)
  • allergy tests and allergy injections
  • physical, occupational, and speech therapy7
  • prenatal and postnatal care
  • chemotherapy
  • vision exams (same coverage as in your home area)

X-ray and laboratory 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 8

Home health care services 8

Hospice services 8

To learn more about the services covered under your specific plan, call the Away from Home Travel Line at 951-268-3900.4

Visiting Member Services (PDF)

Visit kp.org/travel for more resources and information.

You never know what might come up when you're away from home, so be prepared. You'll find answers to common questions to help you plan for a healthy trip and get medical care if you need it at kp.org/travel.

Make sure you understand what services are covered. Check your Evidence of Coverage, Summary Plan Description, or Membership Agreement. Or call the Away from Home Travel Line at 951-268-3900 for assistance.4

1 For the complete definition of an emergency medical condition, please refer to your Evidence of Coverage, Certificate of Insurance, Summary Plan Description, Membership Agreement, or Member Handbook.

2 Visiting member benefits are not available to HSA, Medi-Cal, and QUEST plan members. Contact Member Services in your home area for details.

3 Medicare 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.

4 This 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.

5 This 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, Membership Agreement, or Member Handbook 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.

6 As a member, you can get most of the same services you would get in your home area when visiting another Kaiser Permanente service area.

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

8 Certain limitations apply to home health care.