When you can switch
| Window | Dates | Coverage starts |
|---|---|---|
| Open enrollment | October 15 to December 7 | January 1 |
| Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period | January 1 to March 31 (one change) | First of the next month |
| Your plan is ending | December 8 to the last day of February | First of the next month |
| NC Medicaid or Extra Help | Once a calendar month | First of the next month |
| Trial right (first Medicare Advantage plan) | Within 12 months of joining | First of the next month |
| Moving out of your plan's area | From the move through 2 full months after | Depends on when you choose |
Don't forget drug coverage
Original Medicare doesn't include Part D. Join a standalone drug plan at the same time, or you could pay a late enrollment penalty later. CMS lists 11 standalone Part D plans from 6 companies in North Carolina for 2027; the state is its own Part D region, so the same plans are sold in all 100 counties. See Part D in North Carolina.
The North Carolina Medigap catch
North Carolina has no Medigap birthday, anniversary or yearly switching rule (G.S. 58, Article 54). So when you leave Medicare Advantage, a Medigap company can usually ask about your health and decline you. You can buy Medigap without health questions in these situations:
- Trial right: you joined Medicare Advantage when first eligible at 65 and leave within 12 months, or you dropped a Medigap policy to join Medicare Advantage for the first time and leave within 12 months.
- Your plan is ending or leaving your county, or you move out of its area.
- Your plan broke its contract or misled you.
- Under 65 with a disability: North Carolina law gives you a right to Plan A, D or G within 63 days when your managed care plan coverage ends "through cancellation, nonrenewal, or disenrollment" (G.S. 58-54-45(b)).
Without one of these, apply before you drop your plan: stay in Medicare Advantage until a Medigap company approves you. North Carolina gives you 30 days to return a new Medigap policy for a refund (G.S. 58-54-30). See Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage in North Carolina.
State Health Plan retirees: check first
If you're in the State Health Plan's Base Plan or Enhanced Plan (its group Medicare Advantage options), joining an outside Part D or Medicare Advantage plan removes you from that coverage and moves you to the 70/30 Plan, which pays after Original Medicare. The Plan's options change only at its own Open Enrollment (October 12 to 30 for 2027) or with a qualifying event. See State Health Plan retirees and Medicare. LGERS retirees should ask their former employer.
To compare Medigap and Part D options from the companies they work with, you can request a call from a licensed insurance agent.
Related questions
What is the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period?
January 1 to March 31.
Do I get guaranteed Medigap if my plan leaves?
Your 63-day right.
Can I change after open enrollment?
Special enrollment periods.
Sources
- Medicare.gov — Joining a plan (enrollment periods)
- Medicare.gov — Special Enrollment Periods (trial right, Medicaid and Extra Help, moves)
- Medicare.gov — Guaranteed issue rights
- eCFR — 42 CFR 422.62, election of coverage under an MA plan
- North Carolina General Assembly — G.S. Chapter 58, Article 54, Medicare Supplement Insurance Minimum Standards
- State Health Plan — Pre-65 retiree presentation (outside Medicare plans and the 70/30 Plan)
More questions in this guide
- Can I change my Medicare plan after open enrollment ends?
- Do I get a guaranteed right to buy Medigap if my plan leaves North Carolina?
- My Medicare Advantage plan is ending in 2027 in North Carolina. What do I do?
- What is the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period?
- When is Medicare open enrollment in North Carolina?
- Which Medicare companies are leaving North Carolina in 2027?
Part of the guide: Medicare Open Enrollment in North Carolina (2027 Plans) · All questions
Frequently asked questions
How do I drop my Medicare Advantage plan?
If your plan includes drug coverage, the simplest way is to join a standalone Part D plan; that ends your Medicare Advantage enrollment automatically. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE or send your plan a written request to disenroll.
When does Original Medicare start after I switch?
A change made October 15 to December 7 starts January 1. A change made January 1 to March 31, or with most special enrollment periods, starts the first of the month after your request.
I joined Medicare Advantage at 65 less than a year ago. Can I get Medigap?
Yes. Under the trial right, if you joined a Medicare Advantage plan when first eligible for Medicare at 65 and leave within 12 months, you can buy any Medigap policy sold in North Carolina without health questions.
Medicare in your North Carolina county
Plans, local agents and help, county by county: Wake · Mecklenburg · Guilford · Forsyth · Durham · Cumberland · Buncombe · Union · Johnston · Cabarrus · New Hanover · Gaston · Onslow · Iredell · Alamance · Pitt · Davidson · Brunswick · Catawba · Rowan · All 100 counties →
