Here's the short answer. You can switch from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare during the fall Open Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7) or the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31). The catch is Medigap. Outside of protected windows, insurers can review your health and turn you down or charge more. If you're in your first 12 months in a Medicare Advantage plan, you likely have a "trial right" that guarantees you a Medigap policy — but you must apply no later than 63 days after your plan coverage ends.
Step 1: Know When You Can Leave Medicare Advantage
You can drop a Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare only at certain times:
- Open Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7). Switch to Original Medicare; coverage starts January 1.
- Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31). If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can drop it, return to Original Medicare, and join a separate drug plan. Coverage starts the first of the month after your request.
- Your first 3 months with Medicare. If you joined a Medicare Advantage plan when you first got Medicare, you can go back to Original Medicare within your first 3 months with Part A and Part B.
- A Special Enrollment Period. Certain life events — like moving out of your plan's service area — open a window to make changes.
Step 2: Understand the Medigap Problem
Original Medicare has no yearly cap on what you pay out of pocket, so many people add a Medigap policy. But your one-time, 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period started when you first had Part B at 65 or older. After that window closes, an insurer can use medical underwriting. That means it can deny you a policy or charge you more because of your health — unless you have a guaranteed issue right. This is the single biggest risk of switching back: leaving your Medicare Advantage plan is guaranteed, but getting a Medigap policy often is not.
Step 3: Check for a Guaranteed Issue Right
In these situations, federal law says an insurer must sell you a Medigap policy:
- Trial right — you joined Medicare Advantage when you first got Medicare. If you joined in the past 12 months and want to switch to Original Medicare, you can buy any Medigap policy sold in your state.
- Trial right — you dropped a Medigap policy to try Medicare Advantage for the first time. If you joined in the past 12 months, you can get your old Medigap policy back if the same company still sells it. If not, you can buy certain standardized Medigap plans from any insurer in your state.
- Your plan is leaving Medicare or leaving your area, or you're moving out of its service area. You can buy certain standardized Medigap plans if you switch to Original Medicare.
- Your plan misled you or broke the rules. This also triggers a guaranteed issue right.
These rights only apply if you switch to Original Medicare — not if you move to another Medicare Advantage plan. Some states add extra protections beyond federal law, so check with your State Insurance Department.
Step 4: Mind the 63-Day Window
Guaranteed issue rights have a strict clock. You can apply for the Medigap policy:
- As early as 60 days before your Medicare Advantage coverage ends.
- No later than 63 days after it ends.
Miss the window and the guarantee is gone. In some situations your rights may last an extra 12 months — your State Insurance Department can tell you. Keep every letter, notice, email, and claim denial from your plan. You may need them to prove your coverage ended and that you qualify. Note: it's illegal for anyone to sell you a Medigap policy while you're still in a Medicare Advantage plan (unless your Medicare Advantage coverage is ending), and Medigap coverage can't start until your plan coverage ends.
Step 5: Don't Forget Drug Coverage
Most Medicare Advantage plans include drug coverage. Original Medicare doesn't. When you switch back, you can join a separate Part D drug plan — for example, during the fall Open Enrollment Period, or during the January–March window when you drop your Medicare Advantage plan. Line all three pieces up before you leave: Original Medicare, a drug plan, and (if you want one) a Medigap policy.
Common Questions
Can a Medigap company really turn me down?
Yes — outside your 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period and outside guaranteed issue situations, insurers can use medical underwriting to deny you or charge more based on your health. That's why it's important to confirm you can get a Medigap policy before you give up your Medicare Advantage plan.
What exactly is the 12-month trial right?
Two situations qualify. If you joined a Medicare Advantage plan when you were first eligible for Medicare and it's been less than a year, you can switch to Original Medicare and buy any Medigap policy sold in your state. If you dropped a Medigap policy to try Medicare Advantage for the first time and it's been less than a year, you can get your old policy back if the same company still sells it.
Which Medigap plans can I buy with a guaranteed issue right?
It depends on your situation. The first-year trial right lets you buy any policy sold in your state. Other guaranteed issue situations give you the right to buy certain standardized plans. Medicare.gov has a step-by-step tool that shows your exact rights, and our Medigap guide compares what each lettered plan covers.
Is switching back the right move for me?
That's a personal decision, and this site doesn't recommend plans. Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage trade off differently on networks, referrals, extra benefits, and out-of-pocket costs — see Choosing Coverage for a neutral comparison. For free one-on-one help, contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).