You can leave Medicare Advantage during certain enrollment periods and return to Original Medicare. Before switching, arrange drug coverage and check whether you can buy Medigap to help with your share of medical bills.

When Can You Switch?

You can switch from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare during:

  • Medicare Open Enrollment, October 15 through December 7, for coverage starting January 1
  • Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment, January 1 through March 31, if you are already in Medicare Advantage, except a Medicare Medical Savings Account (MSA) plan. If you joined Medicare Advantage during your Initial Enrollment Period, you can also switch during your first three months with both Part A and Part B (MSA plans excluded).
  • A Special Enrollment Period when a qualifying event applies

During Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment, you can make only one change, effective the first of the following month.

Plan for Prescription Coverage

If your Advantage plan includes drug coverage, that coverage ends when you return to Original Medicare. If you need to replace your drug coverage, join a stand-alone Part D plan during the permitted window to avoid an uninsured period and a possible late penalty later.

Can You Get Medigap?

Original Medicare has no annual out-of-pocket limit. Medigap can help, but leaving Medicare Advantage does not always give you the right to buy any policy without a review of your health history, called medical underwriting.

Different protections cover different situations:

  • A first-year trial right can apply to certain first attempts at Medicare Advantage; the policies you can buy depend on how you entered the plan.
  • A plan ending or a qualifying move can give you a guaranteed-issue right to buy certain policies, with specific application deadlines.
  • State law may provide broader rights.

In many situations covered by federal guaranteed-issue rules, you can apply starting 60 days before coverage ends and no later than 63 days afterward. Confirm which right applies to you before relying on those dates. Use Medicare’s Medigap guide and ask the insurer to confirm eligibility, premium and effective date in writing.

Complete the Change

You can generally make the change through Medicare or by joining a stand-alone Part D plan when permitted. Get written confirmation of the start date and show your red, white, and blue Medicare card to providers after Original Medicare resumes.

Keep the Advantage termination date, Part D start date and any Medigap acceptance together. A Medigap price quote does not mean your application has been approved. If a planned procedure crosses the changeover, ask the providers how the new coverage will affect billing or required approval.

Medicare policy sources last checked: October 8, 2026.