How to Cancel Medicare

You may cancel Medicare Part A or Part B by calling 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

As your health insurance needs change, you may find yourself in a position where you wish to cancel your Medicare coverage. All the information you need to cancel any part of your Medicare insurance is listed below.

How to cancel Medicare Part A

Most people do not pay a premium for Medicare Part A hospital insurance, so there is no mechanism to cancel it in this case.

But if you do pay a premium for Part A and wish to cancel it, you may do so by visiting your local Social Security office or by calling 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

How to cancel Medicare Part B

You may be automatically enrolled in Part B medical insurance. When you receive your Medicare card and welcome packet in the mail, the back of your Medicare card will include instructions for disenrolling from Part B.

If you do not initially disenroll in Part B, you will have to do so by contacting your local Social Security office or calling 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

You may not disenroll from Part B online. You will have to speak directly to a Social Security agent to complete the process.

How to cancel Medicare Part C

If you wish to cancel your Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage) plan, here is one option for cancelling your coverage:

• The Fall Annual Enrollment Period (AEP, sometimes called the Open Enrollment Period for Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug coverage) lasts from October 15 to December 7 each year.
  
  During this time, you may disenroll from your Medicare Advantage plan and enroll in a different plan, or you can cancel your Medicare Advantage plan and revert back to Original Medicare coverage.
  
  

• You can take advantage of the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, which runs each year from January 1 through March 31.

  During this time, you can change from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, whether or not either plan includes prescription drug coverage.

  You can also disenroll from your Medicare Advantage plan and switch back to Original Medicare (Part A and Part B). If you switch back to Original Medicare during this period, you can join a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.

If you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan during your Initial Enrollment Period (the period when you first become eligible for Medicare), you can switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or cancel your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare at any time during the first three months you have Medicare.

You may be able to cancel your Medicare Advantage plan if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (see below).

How to cancel Medicare Part D

Disenrolling from a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan also requires waiting for the Annual Enrollment Period mentioned above (October 15 to December 7). During this period, you can switch to a new Part D plan or just drop the coverage entirely.

You may be able to cancel your Medicare Part D plan if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (see below).

How to cancel Medicare Supplement Insurance

You can cancel your Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) plan at any time by contacting your insurance company and notifying them that you wish to drop your policy.

Cancelling Medicare during a Special Enrollment Period

Certain circumstances may make you eligible for a Medicare Special Enrollment Period.

A Special Enrollment Period may be granted at any time outside of the Annual Enrollment Period to people who move outside of their plan’s coverage area, lose Medicaid coverage or other experience other specific life events.

If you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, you may be able to switch or cancel your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.

Get help switching or enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan

If you would like further help learning how to cancel your current Medicare coverage for a new Medicare Advantage plan, a licensed insurance agent can help guide you through the process.

Learn more about Medicare Advantage plans in your area and find a plan that fits your coverage needs and your budget.

Or call 1-800-557-6059 1-800-557-6059 TTY Users: 711 to speak with a licensed insurance agent. We accept calls 24/7!

Learn more about Medicare enrollment

• How much does Medicare cost by state?
• Does Medicare cost change by income level?
• What is the average cost of Medicare?
• What is Medicare Easy Pay?
• How do I enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan?
• What is a Special Enrollment Period?
• What is a Medicare Special Needs Plan?
• How does Medicare work with other forms of coverage?
• What is a 5-star Medicare Advantage plan?

About the author

Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with MedicareAdvantage.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known in the insurance industry for the thousands of educational articles he’s written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.

Christian’s work as a Medicare expert has appeared in several top-tier and trade news outlets including Forbes, MarketWatch, WebMD and Yahoo! Finance.

Christian has written hundreds of articles for MedicareAvantage.com that teach Medicare beneficiaries the best practices for navigating Medicare. His articles are read by thousands of older Americans each month. By better understanding their health care coverage, readers may hopefully learn how to limit their out-of-pocket Medicare spending and access quality medical care.

Christian’s passion for his role stems from his desire to make a difference in the senior community. He strongly believes that the more beneficiaries know about their Medicare coverage, the better their overall health and wellness is as a result.

A current resident of Raleigh, Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

If you’re a member of the media looking to connect with Christian, please don’t hesitate to email our public relations team at Mike@tzhealthmedia.com.

 

 

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