Overview of Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period
As a Medicare Advantage Plan beneficiary, it is possible to disenroll or cancel your plan. However, it must be done within a particular period, called the Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period (MADP). You can also enroll in another Medicare Advantage plan or go back to original Medicare within this period. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period replaced the Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period in 2019.
If you are under a Medicare plan, you can only enroll or switch a Medicare Advantage Plan during specific periods of the year. However, this restriction does not apply to people who are eligible for a Special Enrollment Period. If you end your Medicare Advantage Plan before the set time, there will be a space in your late enrollment penalty and coverage when you reapply. The first period available for you to change your plan is when you are enrolling for the first time and when you get qualified for Medicare. After the first period, the Medicare Open Enrollment Period is the only time available for you.
When you enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan for the first time, you can move to a new Medicare plan anytime within three months from when you registered. After enrolling in a Medicare Advantage Plan, you can leave the plan and change to a new one or join the original Medicare during the enrollment period between October 15 and December 7. You can also change your Plan during the Medicare Advantage Plan Open Enrollment Period which is between January 1 and March 31 every year. If you are eligible for a Special Enrollment Period due to certain life occurrences, you will be able to adjust your Medicare coverage. Examples of such occurrences include losing your health coverage or leaving your old plan’s service area. If you don’t meet any of the requirements needed to change your plan, it would help to contact 1-800-MEDICARE to find out other disenrollment methods.