How Do I Leave a Medicare Advantage Plan?

Open Enrollment Period

An Open Enrollment Period, available every year, allows you to drop your Medicare Advantage plan, switch plans, or make changes in your existing plan. Open enrollment takes place from mid-October until early December, with changes taking effect Jan. 1 of the following calendar year.

Open enrollment provides a great opportunity to reassess and fine-tune your coverage as you head into a new year, and one of MedicareMall’s representatives will be happy to discuss the options with you prior to or during your next open enrollment opportunity.

Special Enrollment Period

You may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) if you meet certain conditions. Conditions qualifying you for an SEP include:

  • Moving to a new address outside your plan’s service area;
  • Returning to the United States after living outside the country;
  • Currently living in, or have just left, an institution such as a skilled nursing facility or long-term care hospital;
  • Being released from jail;
  • Losing eligibility for Medicaid;
  • Leaving coverage from your employer or union; or
  • Losing creditable drug coverage.

There are other conditions that may qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period, and MedicareMall will be happy to help you determine whether you may qualify.

If you wish to leave a Medicare Advantage Plan in order to switch to Original Medicare

You can do so from January 1 until mid-February of each year. If you switch to Original Medicare during this period, you will be able to join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan at the same time. Coverage will begin the first day of the month after your enrollment form is received.

You cannot switch from one Medicare Advantage Plan to another during this period. If you wish to switch from one Medicare Advantage Plan to another, you need to do so during an Open Enrollment or Special Enrollment Period unless you qualify for Medicaid.

For further information about dropping or switching Medicare Advantage Plans, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY 1-877-486-2048).

If you would like further information about Medicare Advantage or any other aspect of Medicare, contact a licensed, bonded MedicareMall representative and let us put our twenty-plus years of experience to work for you!

Medicare Advantage Plans Index
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