Can I switch from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare?
Last updated Jul 19, 2026
Reviewed by Jason Burns, Editorial Steward
Published by Senior Direct Answers · Licensed under Citation License 1.0
Yes. During the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, January 1 through March 31 each year, anyone in an MA plan can make a one-time switch to another MA plan or drop MA and return to Original Medicare, with the option to join a Part D drug plan; you can also switch during the fall Oct 15 - Dec 7 window. The key risk: returning to Original Medicare does not guarantee you a Medigap policy — outside your initial 6-month Medigap window or a specific guaranteed-issue right (such as a 12-month MA "trial right"), insurers in most states can underwrite and may deny you or charge more based on health.
What the government has said, on the record
“This is followed by the MA open enrollment period, from January 1 to March 31, when MA beneficiaries may change their MA plan selection or enroll in FFS. ... In most states, Medigap plans may deny coverage or charge higher premiums on the basis of preexisting health conditions for beneficiaries that are not new Medicare enrollees, according to a Health Affairs study”
— Jessica Farb, Director of Health Care, U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), Signed GAO report GAO-21-482 to House Energy & Commerce Committee leadership, 2021-06-01 (source)
Editor's note: Signed GAO report (transmittal letter signed by Farb), not oral testimony. "FFS" means fee-for-service Original Medicare. Second sentence is a report footnote citing a Health Affairs study.
Who said this
Jessica Farb — Director of Health Care, U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) (current).
Also asked as
- Is it possible to switch from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare?
- switch from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare?
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18