How to Switch From Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare in 2027

Yes, you can switch from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare. In 2027 you have two main chances: Medicare Open Enrollment, October 15 to December 7, 2026, for coverage that starts January 1, and the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, January 1 to March 31, 2027. The order of your steps matters. Line up a Medigap policy and a Part D drug plan first, so you are never left without coverage.

Switching From Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare at a Glance

When Can You Switch Back to Original Medicare in 2027?

Medicare Open Enrollment (October 15 to December 7, 2026). Anyone with Medicare can leave a Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare during this window. Your new coverage starts January 1, 2027.

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment (January 1 to March 31, 2027). If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one more chance. You can drop your plan, go back to Original Medicare and join a separate drug plan. Coverage starts the first day of the month after the plan gets your request. Read more in our guide to the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period.

Special Enrollment Periods. Certain events let you switch at other times. The most common:

• Your first year in Medicare Advantage. If you joined a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time, you can drop it within 12 months and go back to Original Medicare, with special rights to buy a Medigap policy.
• Your plan is leaving Medicare. If your plan’s contract isn’t renewed, you can switch between December 8 and the last day of February. If you don’t pick another Medicare Advantage plan, you go back to Original Medicare. See what to do if your Medicare Advantage plan is leaving in 2027.
• You have Extra Help or Medicaid. You can make a change once each calendar month, including dropping a Medicare Advantage plan and returning to Original Medicare by joining a stand-alone drug plan. Learn about Extra Help in 2027.
• You move out of your plan’s service area, or you have another qualifying life event.

How to Switch From Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare, Step by Step

Doing these steps in this order protects you from a gap in coverage.

1. Check your Medigap options first. Original Medicare pays about 80% of most Part B costs and has no yearly limit on what you pay. A Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan fills most of that gap. Find out whether you have a guaranteed right to buy one (see the next section). If you don’t, apply before you leave your Medicare Advantage plan so you know whether you will be approved.
2. Apply for Medigap at the right time. If you have a guaranteed issue right, you can apply as early as 60 days before your Medicare Advantage coverage ends and no later than 63 days after. Medigap coverage can’t start until your Medicare Advantage plan ends.
3. Pick a Part D drug plan. Original Medicare does not include drug coverage. Compare stand-alone drug plans on Medicare.gov using your list of medicines.
4. Leave your Medicare Advantage plan. If your plan includes drug coverage, joining a stand-alone Medicare drug plan disenrolls you from it and returns you to Original Medicare. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227, TTY 1-877-486-2048) or contact your plan.
5. Confirm your start dates. Check your Original Medicare, Medigap and Part D start dates line up, and keep the confirmation letters.
6. Check your doctors. With Original Medicare, you can see any doctor or hospital in the U.S. that accepts Medicare. Confirm your doctors take Medicare patients.

Can You Get a Medigap Plan After Leaving Medicare Advantage?

This is the question that matters most, because Medigap rules are strict outside a few protected windows.

Your trial right. If you joined Medicare Advantage when you were first eligible at 65 and want to switch back within the first year, you can buy Medigap Plan A, B, C, D, F, G, K or L sold in your state. Plans C and F are only for people who became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. If you dropped a Medigap policy to try Medicare Advantage for the first time, you can get that same policy back if the insurer still sells it.

If your plan leaves Medicare or your area. You have the right to buy any Medigap policy sold by an insurance company in your state.

Outside those cases. In most states, a Medigap insurer can review your health history and charge you more or turn you down. Some states give more protection. New York and Connecticut let people buy Medigap without medical underwriting all year, and a growing list of states have a Medigap birthday rule. These are federal minimums, so check your state’s rules too.

Ready to compare? See the best Medicare Supplement insurance companies for 2027 and our guide to Medicare Supplement Plan G, the most popular plan for new enrollees.

Your Drug Coverage After You Switch

Most Medicare Advantage plans include drug coverage, and Original Medicare does not. When you switch, you need a stand-alone Part D plan. In 2027, Part D deductibles can be no higher than $700, and your out-of-pocket drug costs are capped at $2,400 a year, according to CMS.

Don’t leave a gap. If you go 63 days or more without Part D or other creditable drug coverage, you may owe a late enrollment penalty. It equals 1% of the national base beneficiary premium for each full month without coverage, and you pay it for as long as you have Part D.

What Changes When You Go Back to Original Medicare

In 2026, the Part B deductible is $283 and the Part A hospital deductible is $1,736 per benefit period. After the Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount. See our full breakdown of 2027 Medicare costs, which we will update when CMS announces the 2027 amounts.

You also give up Medicare Advantage extras such as dental, vision and hearing benefits. Some people buy separate dental or vision coverage to replace them. For a full side-by-side, read Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage.

Is There a Penalty for Switching From Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare?

No. Medicare does not penalize you for switching back. The two real risks are a Part D late enrollment penalty if you go 63 days or more without drug coverage, and Medigap medical underwriting if you switch outside your guaranteed issue rights. Plan ahead for both and switching is low risk.

If Your Medicare Advantage Plan Is Leaving in 2027

Plans that are not renewing must tell members. If you got a nonrenewal notice, you can choose a new Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare, and you have a guaranteed right to buy a Medigap policy sold in your state. If you do nothing, you go back to Original Medicare when your plan ends, so add a drug plan in time. Our guide to Medicare Advantage plans leaving in 2027 explains each option.

Where to Get Free Help

Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) gives free, unbiased Medicare counseling. Find yours at shiphelp.org. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227, TTY 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day, or talk with a licensed insurance agent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I switch from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare?

Yes. You can switch during Medicare Open Enrollment, October 15 to December 7, for coverage that starts January 1. If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can also switch once during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, January 1 to March 31, with coverage starting the first day of the next month. Some life events give you a Special Enrollment Period.

Is there a penalty for switching from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare?

Medicare does not charge a penalty for switching. The risks are elsewhere. If you go 63 days or more without drug coverage, you may owe a Part D late enrollment penalty for as long as you have Part D. And outside your guaranteed issue rights, a Medigap insurer in most states can review your health history, charge more or turn you down.

Can I get a Medigap plan after leaving Medicare Advantage?

Often, yes. You have a guaranteed right to buy certain Medigap policies if you are in your first year of Medicare Advantage (your trial right), or if your plan leaves Medicare or your area. Apply up to 60 days before your Medicare Advantage coverage ends and no later than 63 days after. Outside those cases, most states allow medical underwriting.

How do I cancel my Medicare Advantage plan?

You can call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227, TTY 1-877-486-2048) or contact your plan to disenroll during an enrollment window. If your plan includes drug coverage and you join a stand-alone Medicare drug plan, Medicare disenrolls you from the Medicare Advantage plan and returns you to Original Medicare.

When does Original Medicare start after I switch?

If you switch during Open Enrollment (October 15 to December 7), Original Medicare starts January 1. If you switch during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 to March 31), it starts the first day of the month after your request is processed.

Sources

• Medicare.gov, Joining a plan
• Medicare.gov, Special Enrollment Periods
• Medicare.gov, When can I buy a Medigap policy?
• CMS, 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Rate Announcement
• CMS, 2026 Medicare Parts A and B Premiums and Deductibles
• KFF, How can I switch from Medicare Advantage to traditional Medicare?

This article is for general information. It is not personalized insurance advice. Plan rules and costs can change, so confirm details with Medicare or a licensed agent before you switch.