# Can I switch to a Medicare Supplement if my Advantage plan is cancelled?

In most cases yes — when your Medicare Advantage plan leaves Medicare, CMS says you have a guaranteed-issue right to buy specified Medigap policies within no more than 63 days, and the insurer cannot deny you or charge you more because of a pre-existing condition.

This is the right almost nobody is told about, and it expires. What CMS states In Choosing a Medigap Policy , CMS explains that when your Medicare Advantage plan leaves Medicare, you have a guaranteed-issue right to buy certain Medigap policies. Under a guaranteed-issue right, the Medigap insurer must sell you a policy, must cover all your pre-existing conditions, and cannot charge you more because of a past or present health problem. The clock CMS describes the window as ending no later than 63 days after your coverage ends. Applying early — as soon as your notice arrives — is the safest way to avoid missing it. What a Medigap does and does not do It pays your share of costs under Original Medicare; it is not a Medicare Advantage plan. It does not include prescription drug coverage. Medicare reminds people that when a plan leaves Medicare, they must join a Medicare drug plan to keep drug coverage. Before you sign anything Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program gives free, unbiased, one-on-one counseling and can confirm which Medigap plans are guaranteed-issue for you in your state.

## Sources
- [Choosing a Medigap Policy: A Guide to Health Insurance for People with Medicare (CMS Publication 02110)](https://www.medicare.gov/publications/02110-choosing-a-medigap-policy.pdf) — Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- [Drug coverage reminder](https://www.medicare.gov/basics/forms-publications-mailings/mailings/costs-and-coverage/drug-coverage-reminder) — Medicare.gov
- [State Health Insurance Assistance Programs](https://www.shiphelp.org/) — SHIP National Technical Assistance Center
- [Special Enrollment Periods (SEPs)](https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/get-more-coverage/joining-a-plan/special-enrollment-periods) — Medicare.gov

Last verified: 2026-08-27
Author: Jason Burns, Editorial Steward
Publisher: Adolicious LLC
Canonical: https://planexitreviewcenter.com/answers/can-i-switch-to-a-medicare-supplement-if-my-advantage-plan-is-cancelled
Build date: 2026-08-27