Switching from Medicare Advantage to Medigap: What You Need to Know

More people are switching from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare and adding a Medigap plan than ever before. They are tired of prior authorizations, restricted networks, denied claims, and the uncertainty of not knowing what they will owe until after care is received.

If you are thinking about making this switch, this guide tells you exactly how to do it, including the critical window when it is easiest, the underwriting challenge you may face, and the strategies to improve your chances. If you want a broader side-by-side look at your two main paths first, our guide on Medicare Advantage vs. Medicare Supplement plans and which one suits you best is a good place to start.

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Why People Are Leaving Medicare Advantage

Before getting into the mechanics, it helps to understand why this switch is happening so frequently.

Denied claims and prior authorizations. Medicare Advantage Plans can require Prior authorization before covering procedures, surgeries, and even hospital stays. When authorization is denied, sometimes after care has already been received, beneficiaries receive unexpected bills. Our guide on why many people say Medicare Advantage plans are not as good as they seem covers this pattern in more detail.

Narrow provider networks. Medicare Advantage plans restrict which doctors and hospitals you can use. As people age and develop complex health needs, they often want access to specialized care at major medical centers, which may be out-of-network.

Rising costs. Many Medicare Advantage plans have increased their copays, deductibles, and maximum out-of-pocket limits. For frequent healthcare users, these costs add up fast.

$0 Premium doesn’t mean $0 cost. The attractive $0 premium that drew people in often comes with significant cost-sharing when care is actually needed. See our guide on the hidden risks of Medicare Advantage you may not be hearing about for a closer look at these tradeoffs.

The result: thousands of beneficiaries reach a point where they would rather pay a predictable monthly Medigap premium and know their costs are covered than deal with the unpredictability of Medicare Advantage.

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The Central Challenge: Medical Underwriting

Switching from Medicare Advantage to Medigap is not as simple as just canceling one and starting the other. The biggest obstacle is medical underwriting.

After your initial Medigap Open Enrollment Period (the 6-month window when you first become eligible for Medigap), insurance companies in most states are allowed to ask health questions on your Medigap application. Based on your answers, they can:

• Approve you at standard rates
• Approve you at a higher rate
• Decline to cover you at all

For someone who joined a Medicare Advantage plan at 65 and is now 70 with diabetes, heart disease, or other conditions, getting through medical underwriting can be difficult or impossible in many states.

This is the most important thing to understand before attempting to switch.

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When Can You Switch Without Underwriting?

There are specific windows when you have guaranteed issue rights to enroll in Medigap without medical underwriting. These are the safest times to make the switch.

1. Trial Right Period

When you first enrolled in Medicare Advantage at age 65, you had a one-time trial right. You had 12 months to try Medicare Advantage and return to Original Medicare with guaranteed Medigap enrollment rights.

If you exercised this right within your first year on Medicare Advantage, you could enroll in any Medigap plan with no underwriting.

This right is typically one-time only. If you enrolled in Medicare Advantage at 65 and stayed more than 12 months, this window is likely closed.

2. When Your Medicare Advantage Plan Leaves Your Area or Loses Medicare Contract

If your Medicare Advantage plan stops serving your county or loses its Medicare contract, you have a guaranteed issue right to enroll in certain Medigap plans. Plans A, B, C, F, K, and L are guaranteed issue in this situation. (Note: Plan C and Plan F are only available to people who became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020.)

This is not something you can control, but it is worth knowing.

3. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period

Each year from January 1 – March 31, you can drop your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare. This period is specifically designed for MA disenrollment.

However, returning to Original Medicare during this window does not automatically give you guaranteed Medigap enrollment rights. You will likely need to pass medical underwriting to get a Medigap plan, unless one of the other guaranteed issue rights applies.

4. Annual Enrollment Period (AEP)

From October 15 – December 7, you can drop Medicare Advantage and return to Original Medicare for the following year. Same underwriting situation as the Open Enrollment Period: you can make the switch, but getting a Medigap plan afterward may require underwriting.

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States with Guaranteed Issue Protections for Switching

A few states have passed laws that make it easier to switch from Medicare Advantage to Medigap by providing additional guaranteed issue rights:

California: Has a continuous open enrollment policy for some Medigap plans under certain circumstances.

New York and Connecticut: Have community rating laws that require insurers to sell all standardized Medigap plans to anyone with Medicare, regardless of health status, year-round.

Massachusetts and Minnesota: Have unique Medigap systems with their own enrollment protections.

If you live in one of these states, your options for switching are significantly better. Check with your state’s Insurance Department or a licensed advisor to confirm current protections.

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How to Switch: The Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Determine Your Eligibility

Before doing anything else, find out if you have any guaranteed issue rights. Ask yourself:

• Are you within your first 12 months on Medicare Advantage? (Trial right)
• Is your plan being discontinued or leaving your area?
• Do you live in a state with special protections (NY, CT, MA, MN, or others)?
• Do you have a guaranteed issue right triggered by another qualifying event?

If yes to any of these, proceed with confidence. If no, you will need to go through underwriting.

Step 2: Apply for a Medigap Plan First

This is critical: Apply for Medigap before dropping your Medicare Advantage plan.

Never cancel your Medicare Advantage plan first. If your Medigap application is declined due to health conditions, you will be left with Original Medicare and no supplemental coverage.

Apply for the Medigap plan. Wait for approval. Then cancel Medicare Advantage.

Step 3: Choose Your Medigap Plan

The most popular Medigap plans for people leaving Medicare Advantage are:

Medicare Plan G: Covers everything except the Part B Deductible. After meeting the Deductible (currently $257 in 2026), you pay nothing for Medicare-covered services. Best for people who want maximum protection.

High Deductible Plan G: Same benefits as Plan G but with a higher deductible ($2,870 in 2026) in exchange for much lower monthly premiums. Good for healthier people who want a safety net without a large monthly premium.

Plan N: Covers most costs but requires small copays (up to $20 for office visits, up to $50 for ER visits) and does not cover Part B Excess charges. Lower premium than Plan G.

Step 4: Choose Your Enrollment Timing

Your Medicare Advantage disenrollment must align with your Medigap start date. Common timing:

• Drop Medicare Advantage during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (Jan 1–Mar 31) for an April 1 return to Original Medicare
• Drop during AEP (Oct 15–Dec 7) for a January 1 return to Original Medicare
• Coordinate Medigap start date to match your Original Medicare return date

Step 5: Enroll in a Part D plan

When you return to Original Medicare, you no longer have the drug coverage that was bundled in your Medicare Advantage plan. You need to enroll in a standalone Part D prescription drug plan.

You generally have a 60-day Special Enrollment Period to enroll in Part D after your Medicare Advantage plan ends. Do not miss this window. Failing to enroll results in a permanent late enrollment Penalty.

Step 6: Confirm Your Coverage is Active

Before your Medicare Advantage plan ends:

• Verify your Medigap effective date
• Verify your Part D effective date
• Confirm your providers accept Original Medicare
• Update your providers with your new insurance information

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What If You Cannot Pass Underwriting?

If your health conditions make it difficult to get a Medigap plan through standard underwriting, here are your options:

Stay on Medicare Advantage for now. Sometimes the right answer is to stay put and plan for a better switching opportunity, such as your plan being discontinued, or moving to a state with guaranteed issue protections.

Consider a different Medigap plan type. Some plans have more lenient underwriting than others. A licensed broker can help identify which carriers and plans are most likely to approve your application given your health history.

Try multiple carriers. Underwriting standards vary by company. One carrier might decline you while another approves you. A broker who works with multiple carriers is valuable here.

Look at your state’s options. If you live in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, or Minnesota, you may have protections that do not apply elsewhere.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I switch from Medicare Advantage to Medigap at any time?
You can drop Medicare Advantage during the Open Enrollment Period (Jan–Mar) or AEP (Oct–Dec). But getting a Medigap plan without underwriting requires a guaranteed issue right or living in a state with special protections.

Do I need to give 30 days’ notice to drop Medicare Advantage?
No formal advance notice is required during enrollment periods. Changes take effect the following month.

Will I owe anything during the gap between plans?
With careful timing, there should be no gap. That is why you apply for Medigap first and confirm approval before disenrolling from Medicare Advantage.

Can I go back to Medicare Advantage after switching to Medigap?
Yes. During future AEPs (October 15–December 7), you can always switch back to Medicare Advantage.

Does switching from Medicare Advantage to Medigap affect my Part D coverage?
Yes. Your Medicare Advantage plan’s drug coverage ends when you disenroll. You must enroll in a standalone Part D plan within your Special Enrollment Period.

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Bottom Line

Switching from Medicare Advantage to Medigap is very doable, but it requires strategy, especially when it comes to underwriting.

The ideal time is early, when guaranteed issue rights apply. The worst time is after years of chronic illness have complicated your health history. If you are considering the switch, the sooner you explore your options, the better. And if you already have a Medigap plan and are simply looking for a better fit, our guide on switching between Medigap plans walks through how that process works.

REMEDIGAP’s licensed advisors specialize in helping people navigate exactly this type of transition. Get a free quote and review your options today.

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This article is for educational purposes. Medicare enrollment rules, Medigap availability, and state protections change over time. Confirm current details with Medicare.gov or a licensed Medicare advisor.

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