Should You Ditch Your Medicare Advantage Plan? Most People Do

Andy | June 7, 2025September 1, 2026

If you’re tempted to ditch Medicare Advantage, you’re not alone. Millions of Americans switch away from Medicare Advantage plans every year — and the numbers are growing. Here’s when it makes sense to leave, how to do it, and the critical timing issue most people miss.

Why More People Are Choosing to Ditch Medicare Advantage

The most common reasons people decide to ditch Medicare Advantage:

Their doctor left the plan’s network
Prior authorization denied necessary care
Out-of-pocket costs were higher than expected after a serious illness
Benefits were cut at the annual renewal
Moving to a different part of Arizona or another state
Wanting access to Mayo Clinic, which doesn’t accept most Advantage plans

According to CMS data, Medicare Advantage enrollment has seen increasing churn as plan benefits change annually and major insurers pull back from markets.

The Critical Warning Before You Ditch Medicare Advantage

Here’s what stops many people from leaving: the one-way door problem. If you ditch Medicare Advantage and want to switch to a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan, you may need to pass medical underwriting — especially if you’ve been on Advantage for more than a year.

That means insurance companies can review your health history and potentially deny you Medigap coverage or charge more based on pre-existing conditions. The longer you stay on Medicare Advantage, the more health conditions you may accumulate — and the harder it becomes to qualify for Medigap.

This is why timing matters: if you’re thinking about leaving, do it sooner rather than later.

When You Can Ditch Medicare Advantage Without Penalty

There are two main windows to leave Medicare Advantage:

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP): January 1 – March 31. You can switch to Original Medicare, with coverage starting the first of the following month.
Annual Enrollment Period (AEP): October 15 – December 7. Changes take effect January 1.

What to Do After You Ditch Medicare Advantage

Once you return to Original Medicare, you’ll want a Medicare Supplement Plan G to cover your out-of-pocket costs. With Plan G, after the Part B deductible ($257 in 2026), you pay nothing for covered services for the rest of the year — no networks, no prior authorization, no surprises.

Ready to Make the Switch?

I’m Andy Orlikoff, an independent Medicare broker in Surprise, AZ. I help Arizona seniors who want to ditch Medicare Advantage navigate the process and enroll in the right Medigap plan — even when medical underwriting is required.

Call or text: (623) 742-3878
Email: andy@azhealth.us
Fill out the contact form →

Serving Surprise, Phoenix, Peoria, Glendale, Goodyear, Buckeye, Scottsdale, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, and all of Arizona.

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