Can I Cancel My Medicare Advantage Plan?

You can cancel a Medicare Advantage plan, but Medicare does not allow you to disenroll at any time. You must act during one of several designated enrollment periods. Outside of those windows, you are generally locked into your current plan until the next opportunity arises. Understanding the rules before you cancel is essential -- especially because switching back to Original Medicare can have significant consequences for your supplemental coverage options.

When Can You Cancel a Medicare Advantage Plan?

Medicare provides several windows each year when you can cancel or change your Medicare Advantage plan. The right window for you depends on your situation and what you want to do after canceling.

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 to March 31)

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MAOEP) is the most common window people use to cancel a Medicare Advantage plan. It runs every year from January 1 through March 31. During this period, you can:

• Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to a different Medicare Advantage plan

• Drop your Medicare Advantage plan entirely and return to Original Medicare (Parts A and B)

• Add a standalone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan if you return to Original Medicare

You can only make one change during the MAOEP. If you already switched plans during the Annual Enrollment Period and then change your mind in January, the MAOEP gives you a second chance to correct course. Changes take effect the first day of the month after your plan receives your disenrollment request.

What Happens to Your Coverage After You Cancel?

When you cancel a Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare, your Parts A and B coverage is automatically restored. You will not have a gap in Medicare coverage. However, there are two important gaps that Original Medicare alone does not fill:

• No prescription drug coverage. Original Medicare does not cover most outpatient prescriptions. You will need to enroll in a standalone Medicare Part D plan to maintain drug coverage.

• No out-of-pocket maximum. Original Medicare has no annual cap on what you can spend. A Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan can fill this gap, but getting one after leaving Medicare Advantage is not always easy.

The Medigap Problem: Why Canceling Is Not Always Simple

This is the most important consideration when canceling a Medicare Advantage plan. When you first enroll in Medicare Part B, you have a 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period during which insurance companies must sell you any Medigap plan at standard rates, regardless of your health history. Once that window closes, most states allow insurers to use medical underwriting -- meaning they can charge you more, exclude pre-existing conditions, or deny you coverage altogether.

If you cancel your Medicare Advantage plan years after your initial enrollment, you may find it difficult or expensive to get a Medigap plan. Some states have enacted birthday rules or other protections that give you additional opportunities to switch, but these vary significantly. Learn more about Medigap guaranteed issue rights and how to switch from Medicare Advantage to a Medicare Supplement plan.

Special Enrollment Periods That Allow You to Cancel

Certain life events trigger a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) that lets you disenroll from a Medicare Advantage plan outside of the standard windows. Common qualifying events include:

• Moving out of your plan's service area (you have 2 months after moving to make a change)

• Moving into or out of a skilled nursing facility or long-term care facility

• Losing employer-sponsored coverage that was supplementing your Medicare Advantage plan

• Qualifying for Medicaid or Extra Help (Low-Income Subsidy)

• Your plan losing its Medicare contract or leaving your service area

• Being enrolled in a plan that received a low quality rating (below 3 stars for 3 consecutive years)

How to Cancel Your Medicare Advantage Plan

There are three ways to disenroll from a Medicare Advantage plan during an eligible enrollment period:

1. Enroll in a new plan. If you enroll in a different Medicare Advantage plan or a standalone Part D plan, your old plan is automatically canceled. You do not need to separately notify your old plan.

2. Contact your current plan directly. Call the member services number on your plan's ID card and request disenrollment. The plan must process your request and send written confirmation.

3. Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Medicare can process your disenrollment request directly. TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.

Frequently Asked Questions