health insurance travel coverage

The Medicare website has a PDF which might help you decide: https://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11037.pdf

It looks like you won't be covered except in 3 very specific situations.

Absolutely!! As a general rule, medicare does not cover you outside the US. Best to get some kind of back up that will cover you or you may have to pay upfront for any services.

It is worth the peace of mind to have it...several companies are on the interne which offer various combinations of coverage....check them out. But when I was in Spain in the spring I was told by a medic that if I (non Spanish) needed to go to the hospital, there would be no charge for any services...this was after I questioned him several times to be sure I understood....not sure if he completely understood though. I would purchase it for a reasonable amount of coverage at least. Your medicare ends somewhere well before you reach Europe

Assuming you do not have Medicare Supplement insurance, many plans of which DO cover medical emergency treatment outside the U.S.
The big cost people insure against seems to be medical evacuation $$$$$.

I have purchased travel insurance for the last several years (I'm 66). The Insure My Trip website allows you to compare several companies and policies and most include medical evacuation. I don't think I've ever paid as much as $100 for a two week plus trip. I've never had to use it, but it gives me peace of mind when I'm that far from home.

... in most countries in Europe (not all, but most, and certainly mine) we do have something called "universal healthcare" which means that EVERYBODY will be treated FOR FREE in case of emergency in the extensive public network of hospitals and care centers be local, be tourist, be illegal immigrant, with or without insurance. Something else of course is requiring assistance for non-serious/non-life threatening situations, for that if you're not resident in the country and are not a member of another EU country (in which case you have to carry the EHIC card), you'll be asked to pay for services received hence an insurance is advised.

Enjoy your trip.

PS. I must add that most of our public hospitals have very high standards and are comparable to the most prestigious private ones.

As a fellow Medicare recipient and mother of a woman who worked with education abroad programs for many years, I am confident that I have reliable information for you. Medicare covers you only in the U.S. If you have, as I do, a Medicare supplement policy, the first thing to do is check your coverage. No sense in duplicating insurance. To spell out what one poster above said about medical evacuation, it can cost $50,000 or more. Accidents aren't limited to old people. My daughter has many tales of students needing to be brought home in business class, sometimes with medical attendants, or even in private planes.