If you enrolled in a Part C plan, you aren’t obligated to remain in it. You can return to Original Medicare during certain enrollment periods. That said, there are a few factors to consider.

You typically qualify for Original Medicare at the age of 65. You may also be eligible before this age if you receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or live with end stage renal disease (ESRD) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Once you’re eligible for Medicare, you can choose between Original Medicare (parts A and B) and Medicare Advantage (Part C). Read on to learn what to do if you enrolled in a Part C plan and now want to switch back to Original Medicare coverage.

Generally, you can only enroll in Medicare Advantage once enrolled in Original Medicare. Through your Part C plan, you’ll receive the same coverage as Original Medicare, along with some additional benefits in many cases, like vision or dental insurance.

If you want to transition back from a Medicare Advantage plan to Original Medicare, you’re allowed to do so during the following enrollment windows:

  • The Medicare Advantage open enrollment period (MA OEP): This period runs from January 1 through March 31.
  • The annual open enrollment period (OEP): This runs from October 15 to December 7.
  • A special enrollment period: You may be able to switch back to Original Medicare at certain times if your circumstances qualify for special enrollment, such as if you move outside your current plan’s coverage area.

You can switch between Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare as often as you want, though you can only do this during a qualifying enrollment period.

Except for a special enrollment period, which depends on specific circumstances, if you disenroll from Medicare Advantage, you’ll be automatically re-enrolled in Original Medicare during one of the qualifying enrollment periods, whichever comes first.

There’s no penalty for switching from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare. However, there’s one exception for Medicare Advantage plans that include prescription drug coverage.

If you’re enrolled in such a plan and you switch to Original Medicare, you must enroll in a stand-alone Medicare Part D plan for drug coverage within 63 days of switching. If you don’t, you’ll have to pay a penalty.

Switching from a Medicare supplement to an Advantage plan also does not require medical underwriting. This is a process by which insurance companies examine your health status when you apply and decide whether or not to approve coverage.

Medicare Advantage and Medigap

If you’re enrolled in Original Medicare, you may be interested in getting a Medigap plan, which can help you pay for your remaining out-of-pocket costs once your coverage kicks in.

Medigap plans use medical underwriting to determine coverage. Because you can only have Medigap with Original Medicare, you may consider taking advantage of the Medicare Advantage trial period.

This gives you 1 year to try out a Medicare Advantage plan. If an Advantage plan isn’t a good fit, you can switch back to Original Medicare (parts A and B) and purchase a Medigap plan without requiring medical underwriting.

Medicare offers two main coverage paths: Original Medicare (parts A and B) or Medicare Advantage (Part C). You can switch between them during specific enrollment periods and under special circumstances.

When switching from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare, there’s no penalty unless you had drug coverage and don’t enroll in Medicare Part D within 63 days.

Consider using the Medicare Advantage trial period to try out an Advantage plan. This can be helpful if you decide to switch back to Original Medicare and want to get a Medigap plan without medical underwriting.