In short
If you split the year between Florida and somewhere else, ask Medicare or your Medicare plan how routine care, prescriptions and urgent needs work at each address before you go. The answer can differ between Original Medicare and a Medicare Advantage plan, so do not assume routine care is covered everywhere. Florida’s SHINE counselors can help you organize the questions, free of charge.
A useful next step
- List the places and dates you expect to be away on your own paper. You do not need to enter them here.
- Ask Medicare or your current Medicare plan how planned care, prescriptions and urgent needs work in each place. Do not assume routine care is covered everywhere.
- Ask your pharmacy about refill arrangements and keep a verified contact number with your travel papers.
A question to keep
Ask how a move affects my coverage and whether an enrollment opportunity applies.
Questions people in Florida ask
- Does my Medicare coverage travel with me when I leave Florida for the season?
- It depends on the coverage you have. Ask Medicare or your Medicare plan how routine care, prescriptions and urgent needs work at your other address, and ask for the answer in writing before you leave.
- Who can help me sort out seasonal-stay questions for free in Florida?
- SHINE, Florida’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program, offers free, unbiased Medicare counseling. Call the Florida Elder Helpline at 1-800-963-5337 and give the county where you live.
- Do I need to tell anyone if my seasonal stay becomes a permanent move?
- Yes. A permanent move can change which coverage options are available to you, so tell Medicare or your Medicare plan and ask what needs to be reported. A seasonal stay by itself is different from a move.
Official starting point
Read the official resource ↗Preparation guidance checked October 10, 2026. Ask the responsible service to confirm what applies to you.