Switching from a Medicare Supplement plan to a Medicare Advantage plan
Medicare Supplement plans help cover some costs that Original Medicare doesn’t pay, but they don’t include routine dental, vision, hearing or prescription drug benefits. If you’re interested in those extra benefits, learn about switching to an all-in-1 Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan.
However, you can’t switch from Medigap to Medicare Advantage at any time. You’ll have to wait for the Medicare Open Enrollment Period, which runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 each year. Be sure to contact your Medigap insurance company to tell them you’re cancelling before you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan.
Switching from a Medicare Advantage plan to a Medicare Supplement plan
If you want to switch to Original Medicare and buy a Medigap policy, contact your Medicare Advantage Plan to see if you're able to disenroll. If you’re able to disenroll and return to Original Medicare, you can only leave a Medicare Advantage plan during 2 enrollment periods:
- The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP) between Jan. 1 and March 31.
- The Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7.
Once you’re enrolled in Original Medicare, you’re generally eligible to apply for a Medigap plan.
Note: In most cases, when you switch from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare, you lose your “guaranteed-issue” rights for Medigap. You generally have guaranteed-issue rights for 6 months when you’re 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B. Without guaranteed-issue rights, insurance companies may require medical underwriting before selling you a plan.