Lost Your MA Prescription Drug Plan? Here’s How to Get Medigap Coverage after 2026

Lost Your MA Prescription Drug Plan? Here’s How to Get Medigap Coverage after 2026

If you lost your Medicare Advantage drug plan, you likely qualify for guaranteed-issue rights to purchase Medigap without medical underwriting. You have 63 days from the date your coverage ends to act. Missing this window means losing these protections and potentially being subject to health screening. Contact a local Medicare agent immediately to use this limited-time opportunity.

If your Medicare Advantage prescription drug (MA-PD) plan was discontinued at the end of 2025, you’re not alone. Roughly 2.6 million Americans lost their MA-PD coverage due to the number of plans decreasing by 9% from 2025 to 2026.

The average Medicare beneficiary now has access to 32 MA-PD plans in 2026, down from a peak of 36 in 2024. There are now a total of 3,373 Medicare Advantage plans, including those without prescription drug coverage, available nationwide for individual enrollment in 2026.

As the American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance (AAMSI) notes, Medicare enrollees impacted by a plan no longer offered in 2026 have the option to search for new MA plan coverage. Or, they have the option of taking advantage of special circumstances that permit them to apply for Medigap coverage without having to meet health qualifications, a protection commonly referred to as a “guaranteed issue” right.

Without guaranteed-issue rights, the insurance company may require medical underwriting before it offers you a plan. The insurer will examine your past medical history and current health status. If the company determines the risk of covering you is too high, it can refuse to offer you the plan you want, or it might charge you much higher premiums for the coverage.

From Medicare Advantage to Medigap

Getting guaranteed-issue Medigap coverage if your Medicare Advantage plan has been cancelled may be possible, but the right steps must be taken within a very short permitted number of days. That’s why we strongly recommend working with an experienced local Medicare insurance agent.

If you switch to Original Medicare, which can be done during Medicare’s annual enrollment period (AEP) that runs from October 15 through December 7, you have short-term guaranteed-issue rights for a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) insurance plan. However, this special situation may limit your choice of Medigap plans.

Ten standardized plans are available in 47 states, although some only allow you to enroll with guaranteed-issue rights outside your Medigap Initial Enrollment Period (IEP). The Medigap IEP is a one-time, six-month window that begins on the first day of the month your Medicare Part B coverage starts.

During the IEP, companies cannot deny you coverage or charge higher premiums based on your health status or pre-existing conditions. Outside of this initial window, you generally have 63 days to apply for a Medigap policy with guaranteed-issue rights.

Pros of Switching to Medigap

Approximately 81% of traditional Medicare enrollees have some form of supplemental coverage. There are ten types of Medigap plans, labeled by letters A through N. These plans are federally standardized, so the benefits for each letter are identical regardless of the insurance company selling them.

Advantages of switching to Medigap include:

• Reimbursement for some or all of your Medicare Part A and Part B copayments and deductibles (depending on your plan)
• No restrictive provider networks
• More predictable out-of-pocket costs (although premiums may be higher)
• Plan standardization, no changes once you enroll
• No referrals needed to see specialists
• Medicare Part A hospital deductible covered (most Medigap plans), a savings of $1,736 per benefit period in 2026
• No prior authorization required for covered services

We understand that navigating the Medicare landscape can be confusing. Connect with an agent to learn more about the plans best suited to fit your healthcare needs.

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