Can I Change Medicare Plans? A 2026 Step-by-Step Guide

Table of Contents

• Can I Change Medicare Plans? What You Need to Know
• Medicare Annual Enrollment Period Dates and What They Mean for You
  • What AEP Does Not Let You Do
  • The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31)
  • The Medicare Advantage Trial Period
  • The 5-Star Special Enrollment Period
• Medicare Special Enrollment Period Eligibility: Qualifying Life Events
• Switching from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare: What to Expect
• How to Change Medicare Plans: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough
  • Step 1: Compare Your Current Plan to Your Options
  • Step 2: Verify Your Doctors Are Still In Network
  • Step 3: Compare Your Medications Against the Formulary
  • Step 4: Submit Your Enrollment Request
  • Step 5: Confirm the Switch Took Effect
• Common Mistakes to Avoid When You Change Medicare Plans
• Frequently Asked Questions

Last Updated: September 30, 2026

Can I Change Medicare Plans? What You Need to Know

Yes, you can change Medicare plans, but only during specific enrollment windows. The window you use depends on your situation. Some people switch every year. Others must wait for a qualifying life event.

Medicare Annual Enrollment Period Dates and What They Mean for You

The Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) runs from October 15 to December 7 every year. During AEP, anyone with Medicare can change Medicare plans.

Here is what you can do during AEP:

• Switch from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage (Part C)
• Move from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare
• Change from one Medicare Advantage plan to another
• Join, drop, or switch a Part D prescription drug plan

What AEP Does Not Let You Do

AEP is broad, but it is not unlimited. Two limits trip people up:

• You cannot switch Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plans during AEP. Medigap has no annual open enrollment. In most states, you can only buy a Medigap policy without health questions during your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, which starts the month you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B.
• You cannot use AEP to fix a missed Part B enrollment. Part B has its own enrollment windows tied to age 65 and to employer coverage.

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31)

Medicare Advantage also has its own Open Enrollment Period from January 1 to March 31 (Joining a plan). If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one change during this window. You can:

• Switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan, with or without drug coverage
• Drop your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare

The Medicare Advantage Trial Period

If you try Medicare Advantage for the first time and dislike it, you may have a way out. When you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan when you are first eligible for Medicare, you get a trial period: you can try the plan for up to 12 months and, within that time, switch back to Original Medicare. In most states, you also get a guaranteed right to buy a Medigap policy during that switch.

The 5-Star Special Enrollment Period

Medicare rates plans from 1 to 5 stars each fall. If a plan in your area earns 5 stars for the coming year, you can switch into it once between December 8 and November 30 of the following year. You can use this window even if you already used AEP. You can only use it once per year, and only to move into a 5-star plan, not out of one.

Medicare Special Enrollment Period Eligibility: Qualifying Life Events

A Special Enrollment Period (SEP) lets you change Medicare plans outside the standard windows. You need a qualifying life event to use one.

Common qualifying life events include:

• Moving to a new service area or state
• Losing employer or union health coverage
• Your plan leaving Medicare or ending its contract
• Gaining or losing Medicaid eligibility
• Entering or leaving a nursing home
• Qualifying for Extra Help with drug costs

Switching from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare: What to Expect

Moving from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare is one of the most common plan changes. It is also the one people get wrong most often.

Here is what changes when you switch:

• You lose the extra benefits bundled into your Advantage plan, such as dental or vision
• You return to Medicare Part A and Part B as your base coverage
• You may need a standalone Part D plan for prescriptions
• You may want a Medigap policy to cover the gaps Part A and Part B leave behind

How to Change Medicare Plans: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Most guides tell you when to switch. This section walks you through how, including the parts of the process that trip people up, like verifying your doctor is still in network and confirming your prescriptions are on the new plan’s formulary before you commit.

Step 1: Compare Your Current Plan to Your Options

Start by writing down what your current plan costs you each month. Then list what you actually use: doctor visits, hospital stays, and prescriptions.

Appointment Booking →

Look at three things for each new plan:

• The monthly plan premium
• The deductible and co-payment amounts
• The out-of-pocket maximum

Step 2: Verify Your Doctors Are Still In Network

This is the step most people skip, and it is the one that causes the most regret. A plan’s network can change every year, and a doctor who was in network last year may be out of network next year, even in the same plan.

How to check:

1. Get the plan’s provider directory for the coming plan year. You can find it on the plan’s website or by calling the plan.
2. Search for each doctor by name and by their practice location, not just the practice name. A physician may be listed under a group that is in network while the individual doctor is not.
3. Ask specifically whether the doctor is in network for the plan year you are enrolling in, not the current year.
4. Ask the same question for any hospital, surgery center, or lab you use regularly.

Step 3: Compare Your Medications Against the Formulary

A plan’s formulary is its list of covered drugs. Every drug sits on a tier, and the tier decides your copay. The same drug can sit on Tier 1 in one plan and Tier 3 in another, a difference that can add up to hundreds of dollars a year.

Build a simple checklist before you switch:

• List every prescription you take, including dosage and quantity per month.
• Look up each drug in the new plan’s formulary and note its tier.
• Check whether the plan requires prior authorization, step therapy, or a quantity limit for any of your drugs. These rules can delay or block coverage even if the drug is on the formulary.
• Check whether the plan’s pharmacy network includes the pharmacy you use. A plan may cover your drug but only at certain pharmacies.
• Confirm the plan’s drug deductible and whether it applies to your tier.

Step 4: Submit Your Enrollment Request

You can enroll in three ways: online through Medicare.gov’s Plan Finder, by phone at 1-800-MEDICARE, or directly through the plan or a licensed agent. All three work. Pick the one you trust to get it right.

Have these items ready:

• Your Medicare number
• Your current plan name and member ID
• Your list of doctors and prescriptions
• Your chosen start date

Step 5: Confirm the Switch Took Effect

Do not assume the change went through. A few weeks after you enroll, and again in early January if your change starts then, confirm three things:

• Your new plan has you listed as an active member.
• Your old plan shows you as disenrolled.
• Your pharmacy has your new plan on file so your next refill is billed correctly.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When You Change Medicare Plans

Most problems come from timing and verification, not from picking the wrong plan. Watch for these four mistakes.

• Enrolling outside a valid window. Your application gets rejected, and you stay in your old plan.
• Not checking the formulary. Your drug may sit on a higher tier in the new plan, raising your costs.
• Assuming your doctor is in network. Networks change, so confirm it every year before you switch.
• Dropping coverage before the new plan starts. This creates a gap where you pay full price for care.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How easy is it to switch Medicare plans?

Switching Medicare plans is straightforward if you do it during an enrollment window. You can change during the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 to December 7) or the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 to March 31). If you have a qualifying life event, you may use a Medicare Special Enrollment Period. You can enroll online, by phone, or with a licensed agent. Your new coverage usually starts the first day of the following month.

Is there a penalty for changing Medicare Part D plans?

No, there is no penalty for changing Part D plans. However, if you go 63 days or more without creditable prescription drug coverage after your initial enrollment period, you may owe a late enrollment penalty when you sign up later. Switching from one Part D plan to another without a gap does not trigger a penalty. Always confirm your new plan’s coverage effective date to avoid a break in coverage.

What are the qualifying life events that allow a Special Enrollment Period?

Qualifying life events include moving outside your plan’s service area, losing employer or union coverage, your plan leaving Medicare, getting released from jail, or gaining Medicaid eligibility. You generally have two months from the event to enroll in a new plan. The exact SEP window depends on the event. Check with Medicare or a licensed agent to confirm your eligibility and the deadline for your situation.

Can I switch from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare?

Yes, you can switch from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 to March 31) or the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 to December 7). If you switch outside these windows, you may face a gap in coverage or underwriting for a Medigap policy. When you return to Original Medicare, you can add a Part D plan for prescription coverage. Contact your plan to confirm disenrollment dates.