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Ohio Medicare Q&A

Can my Medicare plan be canceled in Ohio?

Original Medicare cannot be canceled — it's federal coverage. But Medicare Advantage and Part D plans can be non-renewed by the carrier or terminated by CMS. If this happens, you get a Special Enrollment Period from December 8 through February 28 to choose replacement coverage, plus potentially guaranteed-issue Medigap rights for 63 days.

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What can and can't be canceled

Original Medicare (Parts A and B) is federal coverage. As long as you're eligible and paying your Part B premium, it doesn't get canceled. You can disenroll voluntarily, but the government doesn't kick you out.

Medicare Advantage (Part C) and Part D plans are administered by private carriers under contract with CMS. Those contracts can end:

  • The carrier chooses not to renew specific plans for the following year
  • CMS terminates a carrier or specific plan for compliance failures
  • The carrier exits the Medicare market entirely or in a specific service area
  • A plan loses Medicare's required minimum Star Rating threshold over multiple years

Several Ohio Medicare Advantage carriers reduced their footprint for 2026, leading to non-renewal notices for affected members in dozens of counties.

What happens when your plan is non-renewed

  1. You receive a non-renewal notice in late September or early October (well before AEP).
  2. Your coverage continues through December 31 of the current year.
  3. You receive a Special Enrollment Period running December 8 through February 28 of the following year.
  4. You may also have guaranteed-issue Medigap rights for 63 days from when your coverage ends, depending on the trigger.
  5. If you don't choose a replacement plan, you may default back to Original Medicare with no drug coverage (and potential Part D late penalty).

Your Medigap guaranteed-issue window matters

Ohio is a fully-underwritten Medigap state most of the time — meaning insurers can decline you or charge more based on health. But after a plan non-renewal, you may have guaranteed-issue rights for certain Medigap plans (typically Plans A, B, C, F, K, L, or all of them depending on the specific trigger). This 63-day window from when your coverage ends is your one chance to buy Medigap without underwriting. Don't let it close without considering it.

What to do if you received a non-renewal notice

  1. Read the notice — it explains your specific options, SEP dates, and any guaranteed-issue Medigap rights.
  2. Don't autoenroll into the carrier's "suggested" replacement plan without comparing — it might be fine, or might not be.
  3. Verify your doctors and medications are covered by potential replacement plans.
  4. Consider Medigap if you have guaranteed-issue rights — the window is narrow but valuable.
  5. Get free help from OSHIIP or a licensed Ohio Medicare agent. Both are free.
  6. Don't let coverage lapse. Make sure your replacement coverage starts January 1.

Can my plan cancel me individually?

Generally no. Medicare Advantage and Part D plans cannot terminate your individual enrollment except for narrow reasons: you move out of the service area, you fail to pay premiums after warning, you commit fraud against the plan, or you disenroll voluntarily. Health status changes cannot be used to terminate enrollment — Medicare Advantage plans cannot drop you for being sick.

Frequently asked

+Will I lose my Medicare if my Medicare Advantage plan is non-renewed?
No. Original Medicare (Parts A and B) is federal and continues automatically. Only the private MA piece needs to be replaced — either with a different MA plan, a return to Original Medicare with Part D, or a Medigap policy.
+How early will I know if my plan is being non-renewed?
Non-renewal notices typically arrive in late September or early October, before AEP starts on October 15. You have a SEP running December 8 through February 28 of the following year.
+Can my Medicare Advantage plan drop me because I'm sick?
No. Medicare Advantage plans cannot terminate individual enrollment based on health status. They can only disenroll members for narrow reasons like nonpayment, moving out of the service area, or fraud.

Related

Plan non-renewal in Ohio Medigap in Ohio AEP checklist
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