Can Medicare Part A be cancelled?


Editorial team Published on

You can only cancel Medicare Part A if you pay a monthly premium for it; if you have premium-free Part A, you cannot voluntarily drop it by law.

Rules for Canceling Part A

  • Premium-Free Part A: If you or your spouse worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years (40 quarters), your Part A is premium-free. The law does not allow you to drop premium-free Part A.
  • Premium Part A: If you pay a monthly premium because you do not have enough work credits, you can choose to terminate your coverage.
  • Mixed Opinions on Forums: Opinions and discussions on platforms like Reddit highlight that people often try to cancel Part A to contribute to a Health Savings Account (HSA), but note that you cannot drop it if it is premium-free.

How to Cancel Premium Part A

If you pay a premium and still want to drop your coverage, you must use Form CMS-1763.

  • Contact or visit your local Social Security Administration (SSA) office to submit the paperwork.
  • Note that if you are paying a premium for Part A and choose to drop it, you must also drop Part B. Dropping Part A will also stop your Social Security retirement benefits if you are collecting them, and you may have to repay benefits received while enrolled.