Most remote workers plan the visa and the flat, then leave healthcare until something hurts. A little preparation makes the first appointment abroad far less stressful. This guide covers building a health file before you go, finding a doctor, bringing medicine across borders, mental health support, and what to do in an emergency.
This is general information, not medical advice. Last reviewed 12 October 2026. Talk to your own doctor about your conditions and medicines before you travel.
Before you leave: build a health file
- Ask your doctor for a letter listing your conditions and medicines by generic name, since brand names differ between countries.
- Carry copies of your prescriptions.
- Keep medicine in its original labelled container, in your carry-on bag.
- For injectables such as insulin or an epinephrine pen, carry a doctor’s letter as well.
- Keep a summary of allergies, blood type if known, vaccination records and recent test results, stored both on paper and in a cloud folder you can open from any device.
- Note your insurer’s emergency number and your policy number where you can reach them with a dead phone.
These steps come from the CDC’s pages on traveling abroad with medicine and what to do when sick abroad. The CDC also advises checking the rules of your destination and any layover country with the relevant embassy, because some medicines are controlled or banned abroad even when legal at home. Many countries allow about a 30-day supply, but limits vary. The last two items in the list are our own practical additions rather than CDC advice.
See a travel clinic first
The CDC publishes a destination page for each country listing recommended vaccines and health risks. Look up your destination, then book a travel clinic or your doctor four to six weeks before departure if you can, since some vaccines need more than one dose. Your own needs depend on your history, so this is a question for a clinician.
Finding a doctor abroad
The CDC lists several starting points: your insurer’s network and hotline, the US embassy or consulate (which can help you locate medical services), and the International Society of Travel Medicine’s clinic directory, which covers more than 80 countries. Quality varies by country and by facility, so ask a trusted local or your insurer which hospitals are used by international patients.
- Before you need one, find a clinic near your home base that accepts walk-ins and speaks your language.
- Save the address, opening hours and the local emergency number in your phone.
- Ask whether they take your insurance directly or expect payment first. The CDC notes you should expect to pay up front in many places and claim back later.
- Keep receipts and records for your insurer.
- Ask for a written summary of any diagnosis or treatment in your language if possible, so your regular doctor can continue care.
Which kind of care do you need?
| Situation | First step | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Life-threatening emergency | Call the local emergency number and go to the nearest hospital | Contact your insurer as soon as you can; the insurer decides on evacuation |
| Minor illness or injury | Walk-in clinic or a hospital outpatient desk | Expect to pay and claim back |
| Ongoing condition | Book a first visit in your first weeks | Bring your health file and generic medicine names |
| Not sure it is serious | Insurer hotline or telehealth | Ask where they want you to go so claims are not refused |
This table is our summary of how the sources fit together, not an official triage guide.
Prescriptions and pharmacies
Bring enough of any regular medicine to cover the trip, or until you can arrange a local prescription with a doctor. Buying abroad carries a counterfeit risk: the World Health Organization estimates that about 10% of medical products in low- and middle-income countries are substandard or falsified, and the CDC advises buying only from trustworthy pharmacies. Medicine you bring from home is the safer option when you can.
Controlled medicines, including many pain, sleep and attention-deficit medicines, need extra care. Check the rules with the embassy of every country on your route. We could not read the International Narcotics Control Board’s traveller guidance when we checked, so confirm quantity limits with the embassy rather than relying on general figures.
Telehealth
Some insurers include video consultations, and these can be useful for a first opinion or a repeat prescription. Rules differ: a doctor licensed in one country may not be allowed to prescribe for a patient in another. Ask your insurer which telehealth services are covered where you live, and keep your usual doctor informed.
Mental health abroad
Check before you buy a policy whether mental health care is covered, since the CDC warns that policies may exclude mental health emergencies. If you already see a therapist, ask whether they can continue sessions by video, and whether their licence allows that where you will live. Keep the number of a crisis line for your home country. In the US you can call or text 988. For everyday habits that protect your mood while you work from the road, see our mental health tips for digital nomads.
Emergencies and evacuation
The CDC Yellow Book gives medical evacuation costs from about $25,000 within North America to over $250,000 from remote locations, and says the insurer decides whether evacuation is needed. It also warns that conditions needing hospitalisation or intervention in the 90 days before departure are often excluded, and that policies may exclude high-risk activities and mental health emergencies. It cites one study in which insurers fully paid only about two-thirds of claims, so read how claims work before you rely on a policy. Source: CDC Yellow Book, Travel Insurance.
The US State Department’s emergency line for citizens abroad is 888-407-4747 from the US or 202-501-4444 from overseas (as listed by the CDC; check it is current).
Does Medicare cover you abroad?
Medicare generally does not cover health care outside the United States, and it does not cover drugs bought abroad. Narrow exceptions apply in some cases for foreign hospitals. See Medicare.gov, Travel outside the U.S.. Some Medigap plans may cover emergency care abroad, with limits. For plans that suit working abroad, read our guide to choosing digital nomad health insurance, and see digital nomad over 50 for more on Medicare, late-enrolment penalties and what insurers ask older travellers.
Quick checklist by stage
- Before you go: health file, doctor’s letter, prescriptions, travel clinic, insurance with exclusions read.
- First week: save a clinic, hospital and pharmacy near you, and the local emergency number.
- First month: arrange any regular prescription and file a trial claim for a small expense if your insurer allows it, to learn the process before an emergency.
- Every few months: refresh your health file and check that your policy still matches where you live.
FAQ
Should I register with a doctor right away?
It helps. Knowing where to go before you are unwell saves time. If you take regular medicine, arrange it in your first weeks.
Will I have to pay at the clinic?
Often yes, then claim back. Ask your insurer which providers offer direct billing.
Can I get a prescription renewed abroad?
Sometimes, but rules differ by country and by medicine. A doctor’s letter with generic names and your prescription copies make a local doctor’s decision easier. Controlled medicines are the hardest, so check the embassy rules first.
Where can I find mental health support abroad?
Check your insurance for therapy cover and online sessions, and keep a crisis number for your home country. In a crisis in the US, call or text 988.
Is dental care covered?
We found no consistent official information on dental cover for travellers. Many policies treat dental as an optional extra, so read the policy wording.
Sources
- CDC Yellow Book 2026, What to do when sick abroad and Travel insurance (23 April 2025).
- CDC, Traveling abroad with medicine (reviewed 18 August 2022).
- Medicare.gov, Travel outside the U.S.
