How often can I switch Medicare Advantage plans?

You can change your Medicare Advantage plan during specific enrollment periods each year, or anytime if you qualify for special circumstances.

Standard Enrollment Periods

• Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7): You can switch plans, return to Original Medicare, or join a plan as many times as you want; your final choice takes effect on January 1.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31): If you already have a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make one change to a different plan or switch to Original Medicare.

Special Circumstances

• Special Enrollment Periods: You can change plans outside standard dates if you move outside your service area, lose other coverage, or experience other major life changes.
• Five-Star Plans: You can switch to a local plan with a 5-star quality rating at any time during the year except for the first week of December.

Critics and beneficiaries advise caution with Medicare Advantage plans because of restrictions on care, unexpected costs, and administrative hurdles. While these private plans often feature low or zero monthly premiums and extra perks like dental or vision, they come with significant trade-offs.

Restricted Provider Networks

• Local limitations: Most plans use specific HMO or PPO networks, meaning you must see doctors and go to hospitals within the plan’s local area.
• No nationwide freedom: Unlike Original Medicare, which lets you see any accepting doctor nationwide, Medicare Advantage offers very limited coverage when traveling.
• Frequent changes: Provider lists can change annually or even during the year, meaning your favorite doctor might leave the network unexpectedly.

Prior Authorization and Denials

• Approval delays: Private insurers often require "prior authorization" (advance permission) for specialized care, MRIs, surgeries, or rehabilitation.
• Care obstacles: This review process can delay or block medically necessary treatments.

High Out-of-Pocket Costs

• Cost-sharing for serious illnesses: While plans have annual out-of-pocket maximums (up to thousands of dollars), treatments like chemotherapy or expensive infusions can trigger steep 20% coinsurance charges before you reach that cap.
• End-of-life complications: High utilization during severe or chronic illness can result in major expenses or coverage friction.

The "Medigap" Trap

• Locked-in coverage: If you try to switch back to Original Medicare after a 12-month trial period, moving to a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan often requires passing medical underwriting. Pre-existing health conditions can make it difficult or impossible to qualify for a good supplement later.

Yes, Original Medicare cannot refuse you when you switch from a Medicare Advantage plan, but private supplemental insurers can refuse you for a Medigap policy.

Returning to Original Medicare

• No Refusal: You have a legal right to drop a Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare (Part A and Part B).
• Timing Windows: You must make this switch during specific times, such as the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15–December 7) or the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1–March 31).

The Medigap Risk (Supplement Refusal)

• Medical Underwriting: If you want a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plan to cover out-of-pocket costs in Original Medicare, private insurance companies can review your health history in most states.
• Denials: Insurers can deny you a Medigap policy or charge higher rates if you have pre-existing conditions like diabetes, cancer, or heart disease.
• State Protections: Only four states—Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Maine—prohibit Medigap denials based on health status for everyone or under specific rules.
• Trial Rights: You have a guaranteed right to buy a Medigap plan without health screening only if you are within your first 12 months of joining Medicare Advantage for the very first time (a trial period).

The projected average monthly premium for a Medicare Advantage plan is approximately $14.37 in 2026, and is projected to drop to around $12 per month in 2027.

Cost Breakdown

• $0 Premium Plans: Roughly two-thirds to three-quarters of Medicare Advantage enrollees pay a $0 monthly plan premium.
• Required Part B Premium: You must continue paying your standard Medicare Part B premium, which is $202.90 per month for most people in 2026, even if your Medicare Advantage plan has a $0 premium.
• Additional Costs: While many plans include prescription drug coverage (Part D) and extra benefits like dental or vision, you may still be responsible for copays, coinsurance, and deductibles.

Changing a Medicare Advantage plan is not physically difficult, but you can only do it during specific times of the year.

When You Can Change Plans

• Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7): Switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan, return to Original Medicare, or change your prescription drug coverage. Changes take effect on January 1.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31): Switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare if you already have a Medicare Advantage plan.
• Special Enrollment Periods: Change plans mid-year if you have a life change, such as moving out of your plan's service area, losing other insurance, or if your current plan terminates its contract.

Things to Keep in Mind

• No Medical Underwriting: Unlike supplemental Medigap policies, Medicare Advantage plans generally do not require health questions or medical underwriting to switch.
• Check the Network: Always verify that your doctors, hospitals, and medications are covered by the new plan before switching.
• Automatic Transfer: When you enroll in a new Medicare Advantage plan, your old plan cancels automatically. You do not need to contact your old provider.

Learn more about your choices and check local options using the National Council on Aging guide.