How do I end my membership?

Who is this for?

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If you’re a Medicare Advantage member and want to cancel your plan, this information will tell you when and how to do it.

If you're not happy with the Medicare Advantage plan you choose, you can cancel it.  But there are certain times to do it. And it depends on whether you're changing to a new Medicare Advantage plan, or you want to leave Medicare Advantage all together.

Read more about when you can leave your plan below.

During the annual enrollment period

The annual enrollment period happens between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7 every year. This is the time when anyone can choose a new Medicare Advantage plan and leave their current one. Or you can simply leave Medicare Advantage and use Original Medicare only.

If you do this, your membership ends on Jan. 1, when your new plan’s coverage begins.

Tip: If you cancel your Medicare prescription drug plan, you should enroll in one with coverage as good as Medicare’s standard coverage. This is called creditable coverage. If you don’t, you might face a late enrollment penalty if you join a Medicare drug plan later.

During the Medicare Advantage open enrollment period

The annual open enrollment period is for people who want to leave Medicare Advantage. This is usually because you want coverage through Original Medicare, you want coverage with a different Medicare Advantage plan or you want an Original Medicare plan with a prescription drug plan. It happens every year between Jan. 1 and March 31.
 
When you cancel your plan during this period, your membership ends on the first day of the month after we get your cancellation request. If you choose to enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan, membership in that begins at the same time.

During a special enrollment period

A special enrollment period is for people who qualify to change plans outside of the traditional enrollment and disenrollment periods. For example, if you move outside your plan's coverage area. Or you're newly eligible for Extra Help with Medicare prescription coverage. 

During this period, you can:

  • Change to another Medicare Advantage plan with or without a prescription drug plan.
  • Change to Original Medicare with or without a prescription drug plan.

If you do this, your membership usually ends the first day of the month after we receive your request to change your plan.

Tip: It might take time before your new coverage starts. So until your membership with us ends, you'll need to keep getting your medical services and drugs through our plan.

Your rights and responsibilities when you leave our plan

When you leave one of our plans, there are laws around what we need to do for you, and what you need to do for us.

We need to:

  • Process all eligible plan cancellation requests
  • End your membership when the government asks us to
  • Give you a list of reasons in writing if we ask you to leave our plan

You need to:

  • Pay any outstanding balances you owe us

If you think we've violated your rights, you can file a complaint with us or with the government.

Want more information?

If you have questions about leaving your Blue Cross plan, call us and we'll help.

You can also read about disenrollment periods in the Medicare & You handbook or call Medicare anytime at 1-800-633-4227. TTY users call 1-877-486-2048 at anytime.