When a member disenrolls from their MA plan, what does this member return to?

When a member disenrolls from their Medicare Advantage (MA) plan, they typically return to Original Medicare. Original Medicare includes Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) and provides the foundational coverage that Medicare beneficiaries generally begin with before enrolling in any Advantage plans.

If a member previously had Original Medicare prior to enrolling in an MA plan, disenrolling from the MA plan means they revert back to this original coverage structure. While members may also have access to various supplemental insurance plans (like Medigap) or Medicaid, returning to Original Medicare is the primary and immediate step taken upon disenrollment from the MA plan.

Medicaid is a separate program and would only be applicable if the individual qualifies for both Medicare and Medicaid, which is not the case for everyone. Transitioning to another MA plan is also not the standard outcome of disenrolling; rather, that would require an active choice to enroll in a new plan. Lastly, a supplemental insurance plan is not automatically provided upon disenrollment from the MA plan; it would require a separate enrollment process. Thus, Original Medicare is the clear and direct answer for what happens upon disenrollment from a Medicare Advantage plan.