A trial right may let you leave Medicare Advantage, return to Original Medicare and purchase certain Medigap coverage without medical underwriting—but only in specific situations and within strict time limits.
No obligation to enroll. Health Palm Beach Insurance Advisors is not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
A Medicare trial right is a limited consumer protection. It can apply when you try Medicare Advantage for the first time and decide within the first 12 months that you want to return to Original Medicare. It is not a general opportunity to buy any Medigap plan every year.
The details are different depending on how you entered Medicare Advantage. Start with the situation that sounds most like yours.
If you joined a Medicare Advantage plan when you were first eligible for Medicare Part A at age 65, you may be able to leave that plan during the first 12 months, return to Original Medicare and purchase certain Medigap policies sold in your state.
The Medigap plans available under this protection can depend on when you first became eligible for Medicare and other applicable rules.
If you dropped a Medigap policy to join Medicare Advantage for the first time, you may have a single 12-month trial period to return to your former Medigap policy if the same insurer still offers it.
If the former policy is unavailable, you may have the right to purchase certain other Medigap policies.
These questions can help identify whether the rule is worth reviewing. They do not determine eligibility by themselves.
The order matters. Confirm the protection and coordinate effective dates before ending existing coverage.
Locate the effective date of your Medicare Advantage coverage and determine whether you are still within the first 12 months.
Was Medicare Advantage your first coverage choice at 65, or did you leave an existing Medigap policy to try it?
A guaranteed-issue right applies only to eligible policies and circumstances. Confirm the policy, insurer and effective date before relying on the protection.
Medigap works with Original Medicare, not Medicare Advantage. You may also need separate Part D prescription-drug coverage.
Save plan notices, termination letters, emails and other documents showing when coverage began or ended.
The common federal trial-right situations use a 12-month period, but whether the protection applies depends on how and when you entered Medicare Advantage. Confirm the dates and circumstances before making a change.
The protection for dropping Medigap to try Medicare Advantage is described by Medicare as a single 12-month trial-right period. It should not be treated as a repeatable annual opportunity.
When a valid guaranteed-issue right applies, an insurer must offer the eligible Medigap policy without using medical underwriting to deny coverage or charge more because of health problems. The protection does not necessarily apply to every Medigap plan.
Depending on the guaranteed-issue situation, Medicare says you may apply beginning 60 days before Medicare Advantage coverage ends and generally no later than 63 days afterward. Applying early can help coordinate effective dates.
Usually, yes, if you return to Original Medicare and want prescription-drug coverage. Modern Medigap policies do not include Part D coverage.
Keep enrollment confirmations, plan termination notices, letters, emails and claim information that can help document when your coverage began or ended and why you qualify for the protection.
Official sources: How Medigap works · When you can buy Medigap · Special Enrollment Periods
Last reviewed: October 23, 2026.
Bring the date your Medicare Advantage coverage began and any information about prior Medigap coverage. We will help you identify the questions that need to be confirmed before you change coverage.
Schedule a No-Cost Medicare Review