Preventive screenings for Canadian snowbirds in Florida: which to do in Canada, which to do in the US, what gets reimbursed

Section 01Why this guide exists for snowbirds, the two-calendar problem

The typical Canadian snowbird scenario is straightforward in the abstract and confusing in practice. The body needs preventive screening on a roughly steady cadence. A 52-year-old needs a screening mammogram every two or three years depending on province. A 50-year-old needs colorectal screening every two years if using a stool-based test. A 45-year-old needs a baseline cervical screening with HPV testing every three to five years. None of this stops because the calendar reads November. None of it stops because the snowbird is now sitting in Boca Raton.

The problem is structural. The Canadian provincial plan that covers all of this without a bill, RAMQ or OHIP or MSP or any of the others, is a residency-based public system that pays Canadian-licensed providers for services delivered to insured residents inside Canada. The US private system that surrounds the snowbird from November to April is fee-for-service, paid in US dollars at the point of care, and structured around private insurance contracts the Canadian does not have. The snowbird travel insurance policy in between covers neither end. It pays only for emergency medical care arising from an unexpected illness or injury during the trip. Preventive care, routine check-ups, and follow-up of known conditions are explicitly outside its scope.

The consequence is that the same Canadian who would never think twice about booking a colonoscopy at home will hesitate for months when the screening invitation arrives at the Florida address. The result is missed cycles, late detection, and occasionally a bill in the thousands of US dollars for a test that would have cost nothing at home. None of this is necessary. The fix is not a special insurance product. The fix is calendar discipline: knowing what you owe yourself in screenings, knowing the cadence the Canadian system uses, and timing your physical presence in Canada so the appointments land in the right months. This guide is a reference for that timing.

Section 02What counts as preventive screening, and what does not

The definition is sharper than it looks. A preventive screening test is one performed on an asymptomatic person, at an interval set by clinical guidelines, with the specific goal of detecting disease before it would otherwise be noticed. A mammogram performed because there is a palpable lump is not a screening mammogram. It is a diagnostic mammogram, billed differently in the US, ordered differently in Canada, and assessed differently by both systems. The same distinction applies to colonoscopies (screening versus diagnostic), Pap tests (screening versus colposcopy), and almost every other test on the standard list.

For Canadian snowbirds, the practical implication is that the protected pricing zone in US billing law (a screening test, if you have US insurance, must be covered without cost-sharing under the Affordable Care Act when it carries a USPSTF Grade A or B recommendation) does not apply if the test is reclassified as diagnostic. A polyp removed during a screening colonoscopy can turn that procedure into a diagnostic one mid-procedure, with downstream billing implications. This matters less for a self-pay Canadian, who is paying the negotiated cash price either way, but it matters enormously for any Canadian with US-domestic insurance acquired separately from their travel coverage.

The other distinction worth flagging up front is between screening and surveillance. Once a person has had an adenomatous polyp removed during a colonoscopy, subsequent colonoscopies are surveillance, not screening, and the cadence is shorter (three to five years rather than ten). The same is true for cervical screening after an abnormal Pap result. Surveillance is still covered by Canadian provincial plans when performed in Canada, but it is not covered by US private insurance as a preventive service. For self-pay Canadians in Florida, the price is the same in either case.

The screenings covered by this guide are the standard adult preventive battery: breast cancer screening (mammogram), colorectal cancer screening (colonoscopy or stool-based test), cervical cancer screening (Pap test, with or without HPV co-testing), lung cancer screening (low-dose CT for eligible smokers and former smokers), prostate cancer screening (PSA, where clinically indicated and after shared decision-making), bone-density screening (DEXA), abdominal aortic aneurysm screening (one-time ultrasound in eligible men), and routine bloodwork covering lipid profile, glucose or HbA1c, kidney function, thyroid panel, and liver enzymes.

Section 03The default rule, screen in Canada

The rule is simple enough that it should be on a sticker on the fridge. If a preventive screening can wait until you are physically back in Canada, get it in Canada. If your provincial plan covers it and your physician orders it in Canada, you do not pay. If you cross the border and request the same test from a Florida provider, you pay the full Florida cash price, in US dollars, at the time of service, and recover almost nothing from anyone.

This is not a rule about medical quality. The US has excellent imaging centres, world-class oncology infrastructure, and screening protocols that are in many cases more aggressive than the Canadian equivalents. The new USPSTF mammography guideline recommends screening from age 40, and the corresponding Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care guideline as of late 2024 still suggested shared decision-making rather than routine screening in the 40-49 range, though most provincial programs allow self-referral from 40. (See Section 04 for the side-by-side.) The rule is financial. The cost of the same test, performed to the same quality, in a Canadian hospital versus a Florida outpatient centre, differs by a factor that ranges from twenty to infinity depending on whether you are uninsured in the US or not.

The few cases where the default rule should be broken are addressed in Section 09. They are narrow. They include genuine urgency that cannot wait until your return home (in which case the test is no longer preventive but diagnostic), specific situations where the Canadian wait is medically unreasonable, and the case where the snowbird has purchased a US-domestic health insurance plan that covers preventive care independently of any Canadian arrangement. Outside those cases, the rule holds: screen in Canada.

Section 04Canadian and US guidelines side by side, where they agree and where they diverge

The Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care and the United States Preventive Services Task Force are the two evidence-review bodies whose recommendations drive provincial screening programs in Canada and ACA-mandated coverage in the United States respectively. They use similar methodology but reach different conclusions in a handful of cases. The most consequential disagreements as of 2025 are in mammography starting age and prostate-cancer screening.

On colorectal cancer, both bodies recommend screening of average-risk adults starting at age 45 (the CTFPHC and USPSTF both moved to 45 from 50 over the last five years), and both accept stool-based tests on a two-year cadence or colonoscopy on a ten-year cadence as primary options. On cervical cancer, both recommend Pap testing every three years from age 21 to 25 onward, with HPV co-testing extending intervals to five years. On lung cancer, both recommend annual low-dose CT for eligible heavy smokers and former smokers within fifteen years of quitting.

The mammography divergence is the one most snowbirds will encounter. The USPSTF in 2024 moved its recommended starting age for screening mammography from 50 to 40, with a Grade B recommendation for biennial screening through age 74. The CTFPHC issued draft recommendations in 2024 that were the subject of considerable controversy, and as of June 2025 the federal government announced a major overhaul of the Task Force following an external review. Most Canadian provincial breast-screening programs as of 2026 allow self-referral starting at age 40. Practical implication: in most provinces you can get a publicly funded mammogram from 40 onward; what changes is whether your family physician proactively recommends it before 50.

Section 05Provincial coverage for screenings done in Canada, the ten ways it works

The Canadian system covers preventive screening as a class of insured service in every province, but the specific delivery mechanism varies. Some provinces run organized screening programs with direct invitation letters (mammography programs in particular). Others rely on family-physician referral. The cost to the patient at point of service is zero in all ten provinces for the standard preventive battery, assuming the patient is a valid plan member with up-to-date residency status.

Quebec (RAMQ)

Mammography is delivered through the Programme québécois de dépistage du cancer du sein with letters of invitation sent to women aged 50 to 74 every two years; self-referral is available from age 40. Colorectal screening uses the FIT (test immunochimique) on a two-year cadence for ages 50 to 74. Cervical screening is being transitioned to HPV-based primary testing across the province. Pap or HPV testing is performed by the family physician or at a CLSC.

Ontario (OHIP)

Mammography runs through the Ontario Breast Screening Program, with self-referral from age 40. Colorectal screening uses the FIT through ColonCancerCheck, mailed to eligible patients aged 50 to 74. Cervical screening operates through the Ontario Cervical Screening Program. Lung screening is rolling out through the Ontario Lung Screening Program for eligible high-risk smokers.

British Columbia (MSP)

BC Cancer operates organized screening programs for breast (mammography starting at 40, self-referral), cervix (HPV-based primary screening transition underway), colon (FIT-based), and lung. MSP covers all standard preventive bloodwork ordered by a family physician.

Alberta (AHCIP)

Alberta Health Services operates organized screening for breast (Screen Test mobile units and fixed clinics), cervix (Alberta Cervical Cancer Screening Program), and colon (Alberta Colorectal Cancer Screening Program with FIT). AHCIP covers the screening battery in full when delivered in-province.

Saskatchewan

The Saskatchewan Cancer Agency runs the Screening Program for Breast Cancer (mammography from age 50, with self-referral access at 40), the Cervical Cancer Prevention Program, and Screening Program for Colorectal Cancer (FIT). Saskatchewan Health Coverage Insured Benefits cover all standard screenings.

Manitoba

CancerCare Manitoba operates BreastCheck, CervixCheck, and ColonCheck, the three organized screening programs. Provincial health coverage includes mammography, FIT, and Pap or HPV testing performed in Manitoba.

Nova Scotia (MSI)

Nova Scotia Health Cancer Care Program operates the Nova Scotia Breast Screening Program, the Colon Cancer Prevention Program (FIT-based), and cervical screening through the cervix screening program. MSI covers these in full when delivered in-province.

New Brunswick (NBM)

The New Brunswick Breast Cancer Screening Program covers mammography from 50 onward (40-49 with referral). The New Brunswick Colon Cancer Screening Program uses the FIT. Cervical screening operates through family medicine and the cervical screening guidelines.

Prince Edward Island (PEI HCP)

Health PEI operates Screening for Life, the umbrella program covering breast (mammography), cervix (Pap, transitioning to HPV), and colon (FIT). Coverage is included under the PEI Health Care Plan when services are delivered on the island.

Newfoundland and Labrador (MCP)

The Newfoundland and Labrador Cancer Care Program runs the Provincial Breast Screening Program, the Provincial Colon Screening Program (FIT), and cervical screening. MCP covers the standard preventive battery in-province.

Section 06What provincial plans reimburse for screenings done abroad, almost nothing

The single most consistent feature across all ten provincial plans is that preventive care performed outside Canada is not a reimbursable category. Provincial plans were designed to cover medically necessary services delivered to insured residents, and the framework that allows partial reimbursement for out-of-country care covers only emergencies: a sudden, unexpected illness or injury that requires treatment without delay where the patient happens to be. Routine screening, by definition, is not an emergency.

Quebec is explicit on this point. The Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec states that for planned or preventive care received abroad, the standard daily reimbursement for hospital expenses (CA$50 outpatient, CA$100 inpatient) does not apply. Only doctors' fees may be reimbursed, and they are reimbursed up to Quebec rates regardless of what was actually paid. For a self-pay Canadian snowbird receiving a screening mammogram at a Florida imaging centre, the Quebec rate for the equivalent service is roughly CA$60. The same is true in BC: hospital services performed outside Canada are reimbursed at CAD 75 per day inpatient, and only for emergencies; provincial coverage is not provided outside BC for elective services without prior approval. Alberta restricts AHCIP out-of-country coverage to emergency physician and hospital services as of 2020. Ontario eliminated its out-of-country traveller's program in January 2020.

The practical reading is that submitting a Florida screening invoice to your provincial plan is not a recovery strategy. It is a paperwork exercise that returns, in most cases, nothing. The exceptions are narrow and almost never apply to preventive screening. Out-of-country prior approval programs exist in every province, but they are reserved for medically necessary treatment that genuinely cannot be obtained in Canada, with documentation from a Canadian specialist. A screening mammogram does not qualify. A screening colonoscopy does not qualify. A routine lipid panel does not qualify.

Section 07What snowbird travel insurance does and does not cover, emergencies, not prevention

The second consistent feature across the snowbird-insurance market is the explicit exclusion of preventive care. Whether the policy is underwritten by Manulife, Canassurance (Blue Cross), Medipac, Allianz, or any of the other Canadian carriers, the core product is the same: emergency medical insurance covering acute, unexpected illness or injury that arises during the trip and requires immediate treatment. Routine check-ups, screening tests, follow-up care for known conditions, elective procedures, and dental cleanings are not covered.

The policy wording is consistent across providers. Travel insurance products designed for snowbirds typically include language stating that the coverage applies only to emergency services arising unexpectedly during the trip, and that medical conditions for which the insured was awaiting treatment before departure are excluded. Preventive screening is excluded both because it is not unexpected (it is scheduled) and because it is not an emergency.

The implication for snowbirds is that there is no Canadian insurance product, public or private, that pays for routine preventive screening performed in the United States. The travel insurance does not pay because the screening is not an emergency. The provincial plan does not pay because the screening is preventive care abroad. A private extended-health plan attached to an employer in Canada may reimburse certain preventive services performed in Canada, but almost never reimburses screening tests performed in Florida.

The single exception is US-domestic health insurance purchased by the Canadian as a separate product. A small but growing number of snowbirds spending five or six months a year in Florida have begun to investigate buying ACA-compliant individual health insurance plans during their US stay. These are not snowbird travel-insurance products. They are US-domestic insurance policies, subject to US underwriting rules, and they cover preventive screening with no cost-sharing under the Affordable Care Act for tests carrying USPSTF Grade A or B recommendations. The economics are case-specific and generally only work for snowbirds with long-duration US presence and US-source income; the topic is treated in a separate guide.

Section 08Florida self-pay reality, by procedure, what the cash prices look like

Florida cash prices for self-pay patients are reasonably transparent because of two market features: state price-transparency rules, and the existence of healthcare-marketplace platforms (MDsave, Sidecar Health, Radiology Assist, ColonoscopyAssist) that publish all-inclusive negotiated prices. The ranges below are typical for a Canadian snowbird paying out of pocket in 2025 and 2026.

Screening mammography

A 2D screening mammogram in Florida ranges between USD 187 and USD 358 on the MDsave price index. Discount programs such as Radiology Assist start at USD 125, and certain imaging centres (RIS Kissimmee for example) advertise self-pay screening mammograms for as low as USD 30 for new patients. A 3D mammogram (tomosynthesis) costs between USD 150 and USD 400. Hospital-affiliated facilities charge more than outpatient imaging centres for the same procedure.

Screening colonoscopy

A screening colonoscopy in Florida ranges between USD 1,166 and USD 1,650 at typical care facilities on the Sidecar Health price index, and between USD 1,275 and USD 1,650 through specialty self-pay programs like ColonoscopyAssist. Without any discount program, hospital-billed self-pay prices can reach USD 4,000 or more once facility fees, anesthesia, and pathology are bundled. Ambulatory surgery centres charge consistently less than hospitals.

FIT and Cologuard

The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) self-pay in the US runs roughly USD 25 to USD 75. Cologuard, the stool DNA test, has a published list price around USD 681 in the United States though the patient typically pays a much lower amount due to manufacturer support programs.

Cervical screening

A Pap smear with collection and laboratory analysis in Florida self-pay ranges from USD 100 to USD 250 depending on the clinic and whether HPV co-testing is included. A standalone HPV test in a self-pay setting typically adds USD 50 to USD 100 to the lab bill.

Routine bloodwork

A self-pay comprehensive metabolic panel costs USD 30 to USD 75 at direct-pay laboratories. A lipid panel costs USD 30 to USD 50. An HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin) test costs USD 25 to USD 60. A thyroid panel costs USD 40 to USD 100. A full preventive panel with all of the above, ordered through a direct-to-consumer lab, typically lands between USD 150 and USD 300 if blood draw is included.

Bone-density DEXA

A bone-density DEXA scan in Florida self-pay typically ranges between USD 125 and USD 250 at outpatient imaging centres.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm ultrasound

An AAA screening ultrasound self-pay in Florida typically costs between USD 150 and USD 350.

Annual physical or wellness visit

A self-pay annual physical with a primary-care physician in Florida ranges from USD 150 to USD 400. Direct primary care subscription models (a flat monthly fee, often USD 50 to USD 100 a month, in exchange for unlimited access) are an alternative for snowbirds who plan to stay long-term in one Florida location.

Section 09When using a Florida doctor makes sense anyway, the narrow exceptions

The first exception is medical urgency. If a symptomatic situation arises during the Florida stay (a palpable breast lump, rectal bleeding, severe persistent abdominal pain, a worrying skin lesion), the test is no longer preventive. It is diagnostic. The default rule does not apply, the snowbird should not wait, and the travel insurance policy, which excludes preventive care but covers acute unexpected illness, may now actually pay depending on the wording. The reclassification of the test from preventive to diagnostic also matters for any US-domestic insurance: diagnostic tests for symptomatic patients are billed differently from preventive screening tests, and the cost-sharing rules differ.

The second exception is when Canadian wait times have compromised the screening interval to the point that further delay creates real risk. This is rare for first-line screenings (mammography in particular has reasonably short waits in most provinces), but it does happen with screening colonoscopy in regions of significant access strain. If the next available Canadian colonoscopy slot is six months past your planned return date and you are at material risk, paying out of pocket in Florida is a defensible decision. The price is what it is.

The third exception is when the snowbird has purchased US-domestic health insurance for the duration of the US stay. This is a separate financial product, governed by US underwriting rules, and outside the scope of standard snowbird travel insurance. ACA-compliant individual plans cover preventive screening at no cost-sharing for USPSTF Grade A and B recommendations. Whether this insurance is worth purchasing depends on length of US presence, household income, age, and other variables. It is treated in a dedicated guide.

The fourth exception is convenience: the snowbird who prefers to pay USD 358 for a Florida mammogram rather than fly back to Canada in March specifically for the appointment. This is a budget decision, not a medical one, and it is legitimate. The right number for the comparison is the cost of the Florida test, plus the cost of the inconvenience of attending in Canada (a flight, accommodation, a few days back home, opportunity cost). For some snowbirds the Florida price is cheaper than the round-trip. For most, it is not.

Section 10Planning your snowbird year around screenings, the practical calendar

The practical implementation of the default rule is a calendar habit. Most Canadian snowbirds spend roughly November to April in Florida and roughly May to October in Canada. The Canadian residency window is the natural slot for preventive care. The most effective structure is to book a single comprehensive annual review with the family physician within two to four weeks of returning home, and to use that appointment to schedule all screenings that have become due or will become due before the next return to Canada.

A typical example for a 58-year-old woman: she returns to Montreal on April 20. She books her annual review with the family physician for May 10. At that visit, the physician confirms her next mammogram is due (her last was 22 months ago), orders a FIT kit (her last colorectal screening was 22 months ago), confirms her Pap and HPV are up to date until 2027, orders a fasting lipid and HbA1c panel, and adds a DEXA scan referral because she has crossed the threshold for bone-density baseline. The mammogram is booked for May 24 through the provincial screening program. The FIT is completed at home and submitted by mail. The DEXA is booked for early June. All of this is covered by the provincial plan. No bill is generated.

The same woman, if she had attempted to fit the same battery into a short Christmas trip back to Montreal, would have run into appointment-availability problems and likely deferred most of it. If she had attempted to do the same battery in Florida, she would have paid roughly USD 2,500 to USD 4,000 out of pocket. The calendar discipline is what makes the difference, not the medical content.

One implementation detail matters: maintaining provincial-plan eligibility. Every province has rules about physical presence required to maintain coverage. Quebec requires 183 days in the province in a calendar year. Ontario requires 153 days in any 12-month period and allows a 212-day temporary absence. BC allows up to seven months of absence in a calendar year for vacation purposes. Alberta requires 183 days of physical presence in a 12-month period. Snowbirds who push the edge of these rules can find themselves with coverage gaps that retroactively block reimbursement, including for preventive care. Maintaining good records of arrival and departure dates is part of the screening-calendar discipline.

Section 11Common mistakes, the snowbird screening traps

1. Assuming snowbird travel insurance covers screening. It does not. Every standard policy in the Canadian market excludes routine check-ups, preventive screening, and elective procedures. The exclusion is in the policy wording, regardless of whether the broker mentioned it.

2. Assuming the provincial plan will partially reimburse a Florida screening. It will not. Preventive care performed abroad is outside the reimbursement framework in every province. The only out-of-country reimbursement that exists in any province is for emergencies, and screening is by definition not an emergency.

3. Deferring a screening "until I get home" without booking the appointment. The mistake is the absence of the booking, not the deferral. The deferral is correct. The booking should be made before you leave for Florida, with a date in your Canadian residency window, even if it is six months out. Provincial screening programs accept advance bookings.

4. Treating a single Florida self-pay quote as the final price. Florida cash prices for the same test vary by a factor of two to five depending on whether the facility is hospital-affiliated, outpatient, or part of a discount marketplace (MDsave, Radiology Assist, ColonoscopyAssist). A USD 4,000 hospital colonoscopy quote and a USD 1,275 ambulatory surgery centre quote describe the same procedure.

5. Losing provincial coverage by overstaying in Florida. Every province has a maximum-absence rule. Exceeding it without prior notification can retroactively invalidate coverage and trigger a waiting period on return. The cost is not just a fine; it is the loss of free preventive screening for several months.

6. Confusing diagnostic and screening billing in the US. A US "screening" colonoscopy that turns into a polyp removal becomes diagnostic mid-procedure, with different cost-sharing if the snowbird has US insurance. For self-pay snowbirds, the price still varies because the procedure is now longer and more complex.

7. Skipping the FIT in favour of waiting for a colonoscopy. In every Canadian organized colorectal screening program, the FIT is the first-line tool. For average-risk patients, a negative FIT every two years carries similar effectiveness over a decade compared to a single colonoscopy at age 50. Snowbirds who tell themselves they will wait for a Canadian colonoscopy in three years can do the FIT now, at home, by mail, in five minutes.

Section 12Actionable checklist, before you leave for Florida

1. List every preventive screening due in the next 12 months, with the last-completed date and the recommended interval. Use the standard adult battery in Section 04 as the template.
2. Book a comprehensive annual review with your Canadian family physician for the first month back in Canada.
3. If any screening is overdue at the time you leave, book the appointment for it in advance, in a Canadian residency window, before you leave.
4. Confirm provincial-plan presence requirements. Track your departure and return dates. Stay within the threshold (Quebec 183 days, Ontario 153 days, BC 7 months, Alberta 183 days, others similar).
5. Carry a copy of your provincial health card with you in Florida, even though it will not be useful for preventive screening, because it remains the basis for any emergency reimbursement that does become eligible.
6. Buy snowbird travel insurance that covers emergency medical care. Confirm in writing that it does not cover preventive screening, so that you do not waste time submitting a claim for one.
7. If a symptomatic situation arises in Florida that justifies a test, document the symptoms at the time, and ask the Florida provider to code the test as diagnostic rather than screening if appropriate. Diagnostic services may be reimbursable through travel insurance.
8. Keep all receipts and itemized invoices from any Florida medical encounter for at least 12 months. Even if travel insurance and provincial reimbursement both decline, the receipts may be useful for Canadian tax purposes as medical expense deductions.
9. If your snowbird presence in the US is approaching the substantial-presence threshold for US tax purposes, address that separately. Health insurance and tax residence are separate questions, but the calendars overlap.
10. Review this checklist every fall, before the next departure.

Section 13FAQ, residual questions

If I get a screening mammogram in Florida and pay out of pocket, can I claim it on my Canadian tax return?

Generally yes, as a medical expense, subject to the standard threshold (lesser of 3% of net income or a federal floor). It is not the same as reimbursement: you recover roughly your marginal tax rate of the eligible amount, not the full cost. Keep itemized receipts. Consult a Canadian tax preparer for your specific situation.

Can my Canadian family physician order tests to be performed in Florida and have them covered?

No. The provincial plan pays for services delivered by physicians and facilities operating within the Canadian system. A Canadian physician's order does not change the location of service. The Florida facility will bill the snowbird directly.

What about a US doctor I see while in Florida; can they order tests that my provincial plan will cover?

No. The provincial plan does not reimburse out-of-country preventive services regardless of who orders them.

I have employer extended-health benefits in Canada. Will they pay for preventive screening in Florida?

Almost never. Most extended-health plans follow the provincial-plan logic: they pay for services within their coverage framework, in Canada, after the public plan has paid its share. Some plans have wellness benefits with small annual maximums (a few hundred dollars) that may apply to certain preventive services. Read your specific plan booklet. Do not assume coverage exists.

Can I use a Canadian virtual care service from Florida for my annual physician visit and to order screening tests?

Yes for the consultation, generally no for the test ordering. A Canadian physician practising virtual care across the border can typically conduct the consultation, but cannot order a test to be performed in Florida that the provincial plan would cover. The order has to be acted on inside the Canadian system to remain in coverage.

I am a permanent resident of Canada who has not yet obtained citizenship. Are my screening rights the same?

Yes, in every province, once you have completed the waiting period and obtained a valid provincial health card. The eligibility framework is residency, not citizenship.

If I receive a Florida bill I cannot pay, does that affect my provincial plan?

No. The provincial plan and US billing are separate systems. An unpaid US bill may eventually affect your US credit profile and ability to re-enter, depending on circumstances, but it does not affect Canadian provincial coverage. Pay or negotiate the US bill on its own terms.

Is there any Canadian health-insurance product that fully covers preventive screening in the US?

Not in the standard snowbird-insurance market as of 2026. A handful of expat or international policies cover preventive care abroad, but they are priced for permanent expatriates, not snowbirds, and are typically not cost-effective for a six-month presence.