Can I switch from Medicare Advantage to a Medicare Supplement in Oregon?

Two separate steps

Switching has two parts, and they follow different rules:

1. Leave Medicare Advantage. Allowed October 15 to December 7, from January 1 to March 31 (one change), or with a special enrollment period. Join a Part D plan at the same time, because Medigap doesn't cover drugs.
2. Buy a Medigap policy. Not tied to those dates. What matters is whether you have a guaranteed-issue right. Without one, the company can use medical underwriting.

When you're protected

Oregon's guaranteed-issue rule, OAR 836-052-0142, follows the federal list. You can buy certain Medigap plans without health questions if:

• Your plan leaves your county or ends. Some Oregon plans don't renew for 2027; see plans ending in 2027.
• You move out of your plan's service area.
• Trial right: you joined Medicare Advantage for the first time in the past 12 months and switch back to Original Medicare. If you dropped a Medigap policy to join, you may be able to get it back; if you joined when first eligible at 65, you can choose any plan sold to you.
• The plan broke its rules or misled you.

You can apply as early as 60 days before your Medicare Advantage coverage ends and no later than 63 days after. Medigap coverage can't start until the Medicare Advantage coverage ends.

When you're not protected

If you've been in Medicare Advantage longer than a year and none of these events applies, you can still apply for Medigap, but the company can ask about your health, charge more or decline. Oregon's six-month Medigap open enrollment happens only when Part B starts (and again at 65 if you had Part B earlier). A 2025 bill for a yearly open window (SB 1181) did not pass.

That's why it helps to apply before you drop your plan, and to keep the Medicare Advantage plan if no Medigap company accepts you.

Check your county first

In some Oregon counties, Original Medicare with Medigap is the only practical choice: for 2026 and 2027, CMS lists no Medicare Advantage plan open to everyone in Grant, Harney, Lake, Umatilla and Union counties. See Medicare by Oregon county.

To compare Medigap and Part D options from the companies they work with, you can request a call from a licensed insurance agent. See also Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage in Oregon.

Related questions

Sources

• Medicare.gov — When can I buy a Medigap policy?
• Oregon Administrative Rules — OAR 836-052-0142, guaranteed issue for eligible persons
• Oregon Administrative Rules — OAR 836-052-0143, annual opportunity to select another Medicare supplement policy
• Medicare.gov — Special Enrollment Periods
• CMS — Medicare Advantage and Part D contract and enrollment data (CY2027 Landscape file)

More questions in this guide

• Can I get a Medicare Supplement under 65 in Oregon?
• Does Oregon have a Medigap birthday rule?
• What Medicare Supplement plans are sold in Oregon?
• When can I buy a Medicare Supplement in Oregon?

Part of the guide: Medigap in Oregon — what it covers and Oregon's rules · All questions

Frequently asked questions

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