Key takeaways
- You can switch Medicare Advantage plans during set enrollment periods each year.
- These include the Medicare Advantage open enrollment period (January 1 through March 31) and the annual election period (October 15 through December 7). In some cases, you may qualify for a special enrollment period.
- Switching plans involves contacting the new plan’s insurance provider to apply for coverage. You’ll be automatically disenrolled from your old plan once the new one takes effect.
Private insurance companies offer Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you are free to switch plans during one of Medicare’s enrollment periods.
You may switch to:
- a different Medicare Advantage plan that offers drug coverage
- a different Medicare Advantage plan that doesn’t offer drug coverage
- Original Medicare (parts A and B) plus a Part D prescription drug plan
- Original Medicare without adding a Part D plan
This article discusses how and when to switch Medicare Advantage plans.
You can switch Medicare Advantage plans during one of Medicare’s official enrollment periods. These periods have certain restrictions, which you can read about later in the article.
The key Medicare enrollment periods are:
- initial enrollment period (IEP)
- annual election period (AEP)
- Medicare Advantage open enrollment period (MA OEP)
- special enrollment period (SEP)
To switch plans during a qualifying enrollment period, contact the insurance provider of the plan you wish to enroll in and apply for coverage.
If you’re unsure how to contact the provider, Medicare’s plan finder tool may help. You’ll be disenrolled from your previous plan as soon as your new plan takes effect.
If you’re switching from a Part C plan to Original Medicare, you can call your former plan or enroll through Medicare by calling 800-633-4227 (TTY: 877-486-2048).
If you qualify for Medicare based on your age, your IEP begins 3 months before your 65th birthday, includes your birth month, and continues for 3 months afterward. In total, the IEP lasts 7 months.
If you qualify for Medicare based on a disability, your initial enrollment period begins 3 months before your 25th month of getting Social Security Disability Insurance or Railroad Retirement Board benefits, includes your 25th month, and continues for 3 months after that.
If you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan during your IEP, you can switch the plan anytime during the IEP.
You can change your plan at any time during the MA OEP, which runs from January 1 through March 31 each year. This enrollment period is only available to individuals already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan.
The changes you make will take effect on the first day of the month following the month you make a change.
Annual election period
You can also make changes to your Medicare Advantage plan during the AEP, also known as Medicare open enrollment.
This lasts from October 15 through December 7 each year. The changes you make will take effect on January 1 of the following year.
Certain life events can trigger the opportunity to switch your Medicare Advantage plan.
If you move to a new location, your coverage options change, or you encounter certain other life circumstances, Medicare may offer you a special enrollment period.
Here’s a summary of those events and the options you’ll have:
| If this happens… | You can… | You have this long to make changes |
|---|---|---|
| You move out of your plan’s service area. | switch to a new Medicare Advantage or Part D plan | 2 months* |
| You move and new plans are available where you live. | switch to a new Medicare Advantage or Part D plan | 2 months* |
| You move back to the United States | join a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan | 2 months* |
| You move out of or into a skilled nursing facility or long-term care facility | • join a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan • switch Medicare Advantage plans • drop Medicare Advantage and switch to Original Medicare | for as long as you live in the facility and 2 months after you leave |
| You’re released from jail | join a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan | 2 months* |
| You aren’t eligible for Medicaid anymore | • join a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan • switch Medicare Advantage plans • drop a Part D plan • drop Medicare Advantage and switch to Original Medicare | 3 months* |
| You don’t have health insurance from your employer or union anymore | join a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan | 2 months* |
| You enroll in a PACE plan | drop Medicare Advantage or Part D plans | anytime |
| Medicare sanctions your plan | switch Medicare Advantage plans | determined case by case |
| Medicare ends your plan | switch Medicare Advantage plans | from 2 months before the plan ends until 1 month after it ends |
| Medicare doesn’t renew your plan | switch Medicare Advantage or Part D plans | from December 8 through the last day in February |
| You have dual eligibility for Medicare and Medicaid | join, switch, or drop Medicare Advantage or Part D plans | once during: • January to March • April to June • July to September |
| You enroll in a State Pharmaceutical Assistance plan (or lose the plan) | join a Part D plan or Medicare Advantage plan with prescription drug coverage (Part D) | once per calendar year |
| You drop your Medigap policy when you join a Part C plan | drop Medicare Advantage and join Original Medicare | 12 months after you first join the Medicare Advantage plan |
| You have a Special Needs Plan but no longer have the special need | switch to a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan | 3 months after grace period ends |
| You join the wrong plan because of a federal employee error | • join a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan • switch Medicare Advantage plans • drop a Part D plan • drop Medicare Advantage and switch to Original Medicare | 2 months* |
| Medicare gives a 5-star rating to a plan in your area | switch to a 5-star Medicare Advantage plan | once between December 8 and November 30 |
*Consult Medicare.gov for further details on the timing of these changes.
You can make changes to your Medicare Advantage plan by:
- adding or dropping prescription drug coverage
- switching to a different Medicare Advantage plan
- going back to Original Medicare, with or without a drug plan
The important thing to note is that you can change your plan only at specific times during the year. You can switch at any time during your 7-month IEP or during the AEP each fall.
You can also make changes during the Medicare Advantage OEP at the beginning of each year. Additionally, certain life changes allow you to change your plan during SEPs.
When you’re ready to switch, know that you can get help finding and enrolling in the right plan for you.