What Is the Medicare Advantage Trial Period?

08.28.2025 | Category: Medicare

A senior couple sitting with their family together on the back porch.

Estimated read time: ~ 8 minutes

Summary: Choosing a Medicare plan can be tricky, but the Medicare Advantage trial period offers a safety net. If you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan when first eligible or switch from a Medicare supplement policy, you have 12 months to try it out. If you’re not satisfied, you can switch back to Original Medicare and, in most cases, get a Medicare supplement policy without medical underwriting. Understanding this trial period, along with other enrollment options, empowers you to make informed decisions about your healthcare coverage.

Navigating Medicare can feel like solving a puzzle. While many people start with Original Medicare, you have options to enhance your coverage — either through a Medicare supplement insurance policy or by switching to a Medicare Advantage plan.

But what if you choose a Medicare Advantage plan and then discover it’s not the right fit for your needs? Fortunately, Medicare offers a safety net: the Medicare Advantage trial period, also called the Medicare trial right.¹

This 12-month window gives you the freedom to try a Medicare Advantage plan with the security of knowing you can return to Original Medicare with guaranteed access to a Medicare supplement policy if you’re not satisfied.

Understanding Medicare basics

Before diving into the trial period, let’s clarify how the different parts of Medicare work together:

Original Medicare consists of Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance). It’s run by the federal government and covers many health care services, but not all costs.

Medicare supplement insurance plans are offered by private insurance companies and work alongside Original Medicare to help cover certain out-of-pocket costs, such as copayments, coinsurance and deductibles.

Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) are offered by private insurance companies as an alternative to Original Medicare. These plans must provide at least the same coverage as Original Medicare and often include additional benefits such as prescription drugs, dental or vision care. Most Medicare Advantage plans also use provider networks, which means your choice of doctors and hospitals may be limited to those in the plan’s network.

Important note: You cannot have both a Medicare supplement policy and a Medicare Advantage plan at the same time. You must choose one or the other.

Learn more about the differences between Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare supplement plans.

What is the Medicare Advantage trial period?

The Medicare Advantage trial period gives you a 12-month window to try a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time, without the pressure of a long-term commitment. If you decide it’s not the right fit, you can return to Original Medicare and either apply for a new Medicare supplement insurance plan or, in some cases, reinstate the one you previously had.

Medicare Guaranteed Issue Period

The Medicare Advantage trial period works because of special protections called “guaranteed issue rights.” These rights remove the usual barriers when applying for Medicare supplement coverage.

What are guaranteed issue rights?

When you have guaranteed issue rights, insurance companies must:

Sell you a Medicare supplement policy
Cover all your pre-existing health conditions
Charge you the same premium as others your age without health issues
Accept your application without medical underwriting

When do guaranteed issue rights apply?

You get these protections in specific situations:

Your first six months after Medicare Part B enrollment (your initial Medicare supplement Open Enrollment Period)
During the Medicare Advantage trial period when switching back to Original Medicare
Other qualifying events like losing employer coverage or your current insurer going out of business

Why the trial period matters

Without guaranteed issue rights, insurance companies use medical underwriting. They review your health history and can deny coverage or charge higher premiums based on pre-existing conditions.

The Medicare Advantage trial period preserves your guaranteed issue rights even after your initial enrollment window closes. This protection proves especially valuable if you develop health issues during your first year in Medicare Advantage.

Important note: While guaranteed issue rights prevent denial of coverage, some Medicare supplement plans may impose a waiting period of up to six months before covering pre-existing conditions if you didn’t have prior creditable coverage.²

This safety net makes the trial period a smart option for testing Medicare Advantage without losing your path back to Medicare supplement coverage.

Who is eligible for the trial period?

The Medicare Advantage trial period rules can be applied in two specific situations:

Scenario 1
You joined a Medicare Advantage plan when you were first eligible for Medicare Part A and Part B at age 65, and within the first year, you decide you want to switch to Original Medicare. You will have guaranteed access to a Medicare supplement insurance plan without medical underwriting.

Scenario 2
You dropped a Medicare supplement insurance policy to join a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time, and within the first year, you decide you want to switch back. In this scenario, you have a one-time guaranteed right to return to Original Medicare and reapply for the same Medicare supplement insurance plan you had before, if it’s still available. If that plan is no longer available, you may be able to apply for a different Medicare supplement plan, depending on your state’s rules and the insurer’s offerings.

What about delayed Medicare enrollment?

If you delay Medicare enrollment because you have employer health insurance past age 65, you’re still eligible for the trial period when you first enroll in Medicare, even if that’s at age 67 or later. The trial period is tied to when you first enroll in Medicare, not your age.

How the trial period works

If you decide to leave your Medicare Advantage plan during the trial period, you can:

Dis-enroll from your Medicare Advantage plan
Return to Original Medicare
Apply for a Medicare supplement policy

You must apply for a Medicare supplement policy no earlier than 60 days before your Medicare Advantage coverage ends and no later than 63 days after it ends.

What Medicare supplement insurance plans can you get?

If you leave the Medicare Advantage plan during the trial period, the Medicare supplement plans available to you depend on your situation:

If you joined Medicare Advantage when first eligible: You can buy any Medicare supplement policy sold in your state, and you cannot be denied based on pre-existing conditions or your health history.

If you dropped a Medicare supplement policy to join Medicare Advantage: You have a guaranteed right to rejoin the same Medicare supplement plan you had before if it’s still available from the same insurance company. If it’s not available, federal regulations require insurers to offer you certain standardized plans, which are typically Plans A, B, D, G (including high-deductible G), K, or L, depending on your eligibility date and the specific qualifying event. Availability may also vary based on state rules and insurance company offerings.³

Note: Medicare supplement plans C and F are only available to people who became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020.

For more information, read this article: What is Medicare supplement Plan F and is it still available?

Can you switch to Original Medicare without a Medicare supplement policy?

Yes, you can switch from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare without purchasing a Medicare supplement policy. Keep in mind that you may have more cost sharing for coinsurance, copays and other costs that Original Medicare doesn’t cover.

If you later decide you want a Medicare supplement policy, you’ll likely have to go through medical underwriting, and the insurance company could deny coverage or charge higher premiums based on your health status.

What about prescription drug coverage?

If your Medicare Advantage plan included prescription drug coverage and you switch back to Original Medicare, you may want to enroll in a standalone Medicare Part D plan to maintain prescription drug coverage. You can do this during the same period when you return to Original Medicare. Enrolling in Part D right away helps you avoid a late enrollment penalty, which may apply if there’s a gap in drug coverage of 63 or more consecutive days.⁴

Other opportunities to change your Medicare coverage

The trial period isn’t the only time you can make changes to your Medicare coverage. Other opportunities include:

Annual Open Enrollment Period (October 15 — December 7)

During this time, you can:

Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan
Switch from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare
Change from one Medicare Advantage plan to another
Join, drop, or change a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan

Changes made during this period take effect on January 1 of the following year.

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 — March 31)

If you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can:

Switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan
Drop your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare
Join a standalone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan if you return to Original Medicare

How Medicare enrollment windows differ from the trial period

Unlike the Medicare Advantage trial period, these enrollment periods do not guarantee your right to purchase a Medicare supplement insurance policy without medical underwriting. If you’re outside your Medicare supplement Open Enrollment Period or don’t have a guaranteed issue right, insurance companies may require medical underwriting and could deny coverage or charge higher premiums based on your health status.

Tips for evaluating your Medicare Advantage plan

During your trial period, consider these factors to determine if your Medicare Advantage plan is right for you:

Provider Network: Can you see the doctors and use the hospitals you prefer?
Costs: How do the premiums, deductibles, copayments and coinsurance compare to what you’d pay with Original Medicare plus a Medicare supplement policy?
Coverage: Does the plan cover all the services you need?
Prescription Drugs: If the plan includes drug coverage, are your medications on the plan’s formulary?
Additional Benefits: Does the plan offer extra benefits that are important to you, such as dental, vision, or hearing coverage?

Steps to take if you want to use your trial right

If you decide to leave your Medicare Advantage plan during the trial period:

Contact 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to dis-enroll from your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare.
Apply for a Medicare supplement policy within the allowed timeframe (60 days before to 63 days after your Medicare Advantage coverage ends).
Enroll in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan if needed.
Inform your healthcare providers about your coverage change.

The bottom line on the Medicare Advantage trial

The Medicare Advantage trial period rules provide an important safety net as you navigate your Medicare options. It gives you time to experience a Medicare Advantage plan while preserving your right to return to Original Medicare with a Medicare supplement policy if that better suits your needs.

Understanding your rights and the timeframes involved helps ensure you maintain appropriate coverage for your healthcare needs. For more information, visit Mutual of Omaha’s Medicare guide about Medicare parts and plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Can I use the Medicare Advantage trial right more than once?

No, the trial right is a one-time protection. It applies only to your first year in a Medicare Advantage plan when you first enroll in Medicare or when you first switch from a Medicare supplement policy to Medicare Advantage.

Q2. Can I exercise my Medicare Advantage trial right if I have a chronic condition?

During the trial period, insurance companies must sell you a Medicare supplement policy regardless of pre-existing conditions. This protection is especially valuable for people with chronic health conditions.

Q3. What if I miss the Medicare Advantage trial period window?

If you miss the 63-day window to apply for a Medicare supplement policy after leaving your Medicare Advantage plan, you may lose your guaranteed issue rights. This means insurance companies can require medical underwriting, potentially denying coverage or charging higher premiums based on your health status.

Q4. Are Medicare Advantage plans guaranteed issue?

The guaranteed issue rights discussed in this article apply specifically to Medicare supplement insurance. If you leave a Medicare Advantage plan under certain circumstances, like during the trial period or if your plan stops serving your area, you gain guaranteed issue rights to purchase a Medicare supplement policy without medical underwriting.

Sources: