Medicare Advantage

How can I switch from Medicare Advantage to traditional Medicare? Is there a form I need to fill out?

If you’re already in a Medicare Advantage plan and you want to switch to traditional Medicare, you should contact your current plan to cancel your enrollment and call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Note there are specific enrollment periods each year to do this. The first period when you can switch from your Medicare Advantage plan to traditional Medicare is during the Medicare Open Enrollment period that runs October 15 to December 7. When you make the switch back to traditional Medicare during the Medicare Open Enrollment period, the change will take effect on January 1 of the following year. The second period you can switch from Medicare Advantage to traditional Medicare is during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period that runs from January 1 to March 31. If you switch to traditional Medicare and you want prescription drug coverage through Medicare, you will also need to sign up for a stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) for your drug coverage.

While we have made every effort to provide accurate information in these FAQs, people should contact the health insurance Marketplace or Medicaid agency in their state for guidance on their specific circumstances.

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