Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period Ends Feb 14

By | January 11, 2013

Have you signed with Medicare Advantage during the open enrollment period and now want out? Medicare allows you to do that during the Medicare disenrollment period. During this period, you can get out of your Medicare Advantage Plan and revert back to the original Medicare. Here is an excerpt from an article explaining more.

The Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period allows for people who elect a Medicare Advantage plan a chance to change their minds and return to Original Medicare. You may drop your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare from Jan. 1 until Feb. 14. If you make a change back to Original Medicare during this time, the effective date of the change will be the first day of month after you request the change-over.

If you decide to drop your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare, you will have a special enrollment period to elect a Part D drug plan. You may call 1-800-Medicare or visit www.medicare.gov to evaluate the Part D options available to you.

To disenroll from a Medicare Advantage Plan and return to Original Medicare you would need to either: (1) make a disenrollment request directly to the Medicare Advantage plan, (2) call 1-800-Medicare to request a disenrollment, or (3) enroll in a Part D drug plan.

Many people who want to return to Original Medicare also want to purchase a Medigap (Medicare supplement policy). Be forewarned that you may not have a guarantee issue to purchase a Medigap plan. A Medigap plan may be able to impose medical-underwriting. Medical-underwriting simply means that a Medigap plan may ask health questions; it would be up to the Medigap plan’s discretion if they want to issue you a policy. If you are considering a Medigap plan, you would be advised to read the booklet, Choosing a Medigap, to see if you would fall under any “guarantee issue” situations that would protect you from medical-underwriting. Contact 1-800-Medicare to request this booklet, or download the booklet by visiting www.medicare.gov.

– from Capital Gazette

Medicare Advantage Plans typically offer more coverage than what you receive through the original Medicare plan. Make sure that you add sufficient Medigap coverage and Part D drug coverage to match your previous Advantage plan.