The short answer: yes, but the timing matters

If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C) here in Charlotte or anywhere in North Carolina, you are allowed to leave it, go back to Original Medicare (Parts A and B), and then apply for a Medigap policy (also called Medicare Supplement). The Medicare side of that move is straightforward. The part that trips people up is the Medigap side: whether an insurance company has to sell you a policy, and at what price, depends heavily on when you switch and why.

This is one of the most important decisions you will make around age 65, so it is worth understanding the rules before you act rather than after.

Why you cannot have both at the same time

Medigap only works alongside Original Medicare. It does not pay for costs under a Medicare Advantage plan. In fact, it is illegal for anyone to sell you a Medigap policy while you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, unless you are in the process of leaving that plan and returning to Original Medicare. So "switching" here really means two steps: drop Medicare Advantage and go back to Original Medicare, then buy the Medigap policy to sit alongside it.

The key risk: medical underwriting

When you turn 65 and enroll in Part B, you get a one-time Medigap Open Enrollment Period — a 6-month window that starts once you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. During those 6 months, you have guaranteed issue: no health questions, and an insurer cannot deny you or charge you more because of your health.

Once that window closes, the rules change. Outside of a special protection, a Medigap insurer in North Carolina can use medical underwriting. That means they can:

  • Ask you health questions,
  • Charge you a higher premium based on your health,
  • Impose a waiting period for pre-existing conditions, or
  • Deny your application entirely.

This is the single most important thing to understand: someone who chose Medicare Advantage at 65 and later wants to move to Medigap may not be able to get a Medigap policy, or may pay more for it, unless a guaranteed-issue right applies.

Guaranteed-issue rights that protect a switch

A guaranteed-issue right means the insurer must sell you certain Medigap policies, cannot use your health against you, and generally must cover pre-existing conditions. Two of these rights matter most for people leaving Medicare Advantage:

The "trial right" for first-time Medicare Advantage enrollees

If you joined a Medicare Advantage plan when you were first eligible for Medicare at 65, and within the first 12 months you decide the plan is not for you, you have a guaranteed-issue right to switch back to Original Medicare and buy any Medigap policy sold in North Carolina by any company. Health questions cannot be held against you.

The trial right if you dropped a Medigap policy to try Medicare Advantage

If you previously had a Medigap policy, dropped it to try Medicare Advantage for the first time, you have a 12-month trial period to return to Original Medicare and get your same Medigap policy back if the company still sells it. If it does not, you are entitled to another guaranteed-issue plan.

Act within 63 days

When a guaranteed-issue right applies, you generally have 63 days after your Medicare Advantage coverage ends to buy the Medigap policy. Keep any denial or disenrollment notices that prove when your coverage ended — you may need to submit them with your application.

When you can actually make the change

There are two main windows to leave a Medicare Advantage plan:

  • Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), October 15 – December 7: You can drop Medicare Advantage, return to Original Medicare, and add a stand-alone Part D drug plan. Changes take effect January 1.
  • Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, January 1 – March 31: This is only for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan. You may make one change — including dropping Medicare Advantage and returning to Original Medicare (and adding a Part D plan).

Important: getting back to Original Medicare through these windows is the easy part. Neither window automatically guarantees you a Medigap policy. Unless one of the guaranteed-issue trial rights above applies, your Medigap application can still be medically underwritten.

Don't forget your drug coverage

Most Medicare Advantage plans include prescription drug coverage (Part D) built in. Original Medicare does not. So when you switch back, you will usually need to add a stand-alone Part D drug plan yourself — it is not automatic. Leaving a gap in drug coverage can trigger the Part D late penalty (1% of the national base beneficiary premium per month, for as long as you have Part D), so this piece should be handled at the same time as the switch.

Weighing Plan G versus Plan N once you switch

Medigap plans are standardized by letter, so a Plan G from one company offers the same core benefits as a Plan G from another — the differences are mainly price and service. Two popular choices:

  • Plan G covers nearly everything except the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026). After that one deductible, Plan G typically leaves very little out of pocket — it even covers Part B excess charges in full, unlike Plan N.
  • Plan N usually has a lower premium in exchange for small copays — up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for emergency-room visits that don't result in an inpatient admission (standard Plan N cost-sharing in 2026 — confirm the exact copays on the specific policy) — and it does not cover Part B excess charges.

Neither is universally "best." The right fit depends on your doctors, your budget, and how much cost predictability you want.

A note for North Carolina

North Carolina generally follows the federal Medigap guaranteed-issue rules described above. A few states have more generous switching rules, but the safest approach here is to confirm your specific situation against current North Carolina Department of Insurance rules before you drop a plan. For the current figures and your exact enrollment dates, Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE is always the controlling source.

How The Jordan Insurance Agency helps

Switching from Medicare Advantage to Medigap is one of those decisions where timing and small details can cost you real money — or your coverage. As an experienced, full-time, licensed and certified independent agency serving Charlotte and all of North Carolina, The Jordan Insurance Agency helps you figure out whether a guaranteed-issue right applies to your situation before you give anything up, so you are not caught by surprise underwriting. Because we represent multiple carriers, complete annual AHIP and carrier certifications, and carry E&O coverage, we can compare Medigap options side by side, line up your Part D drug plan so there is no gap, and confirm the right enrollment window for your circumstances. We also review your plan every year at renewal, and it costs you nothing extra — the carrier pays the agent, and your premium is the same whether you enroll on your own or with our help. If you are thinking about making this move, reach out and let's walk through your specific situation before any deadline forces the decision.

Plan availability & disclaimer

We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. The Jordan Insurance Agency is not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program.