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You might have noticed that your red, white, and blue Medicare card doesn’t have an expiration date. That’s because once you’re enrolled in Original Medicare, your coverage is continuous as long as you continue to pay the monthly premiums.

Sept. 22, 2025

If you have a Medicare plan, either Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan, you might wonder if it ever expires. Your Original Medicare coverage does not run out as long as you pay the monthly premium (the monthly payment). If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, the company might stop offering that plan, but you’ll have a chance to choose a new one.

How long does Original Medicare last?

You might have noticed that your red, white, and blue Medicare card doesn’t have an expiration date. That’s because once you’re enrolled in Original Medicare, your coverage is continuous as long as you continue to pay the monthly premiums.

If you miss a payment, Medicare will send you a notice to remind you to catch up on your premium. If you continue not to pay, Medicare will send more notices. If you don’t pay your bill, your coverage will end.1

However, if you continue to pay on time, your plan will automatically renew. You’ll still get medical care from doctors, specialists, and more.

What is a Medicare Summary Notice?

You’ll get a Medicare Summary Notice three times a year. This is not a bill — it’s a notice of what benefits Original Medicare provided for you during the past four months.2 If you didn’t use Medicare during that time, you won’t get a notice.

This notice shows all the services and supplies billed to Medicare during that time, what Medicare paid, and the highest amount you may owe the provider.2 For example, if you saw a doctor about seasonal allergies, the doctor visit would be listed.

These are generally mailed to you, but you can also choose to get them electronically. If you do, you’ll get an email with a link to your notice rather than getting a notice in the mail.

You can use the notice to make sure you paid the right amount for medical services, make sure that Medicare wasn’t billed for anything you didn’t get, and find out if Medicare denied you any health care that you might want to appeal.

Does Medicare Advantage expire?

Like Original Medicare, your Medicare Advantage plan will renew automatically each year as long as you keep paying the monthly payment. But the insurance company that issues the Medicare Advantage plan may decide to end it.

That doesn’t mean you can no longer have Medicare. It just means you will need to choose a new Medicare Advantage plan or switch to Original Medicare.

If your plan ends, you will get a non-renewal notice in October.3 This notice may suggest a different plan if one is available. You can take that suggestion, find a different plan, or return to Original Medicare.

What is a Plan Annual Notice of Change?

When your Medicare Advantage plan renews, it might have the same monthly payment and health care, or there could be changes. The plan will send you an Annual Notice of Change in September, letting you know what changes, if any, you can expect.4

The changes in the notice don’t take effect until January 1.4 That gives you a chance to choose a different Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare if you don’t like the updates.

If you don’t do anything, your Medicare Advantage plan will renew at the new premium rate with all of the changes listed in the notice.

Does Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) run out?

Medigap coverage is an extra plan you can buy that helps pay for some of the out-of-pocket costs you have with Original Medicare.5 Medigap does not apply when you have a Medicare Advantage plan.

Your Medigap plan will automatically renew, like other Medicare-related coverage, as long as you pay the monthly payment. Unlike other Medicare plans, you generally cannot change your Medigap plan unless you’re within your first six-month Medigap open enrollment period.5

Keep in mind that you can cancel your Medigap coverage, but once you do, you may not be able to get it — or any Medigap coverage — back.5

Can you cancel Medicare coverage?

If you want to cancel your Medicare plan, you can do so. It’s important to think about why you’re canceling. You may not need to cancel to get what you want.

Canceling to change plans

If you are canceling because you would like to choose a different plan, you can simply choose a new Medicare plan during Open Enrollment or the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment periods. You don’t need to cancel your existing plan.

If you want to make a change and it’s not one of the open enrollment periods, you may qualify for a special enrollment period, depending on the circumstances.6 For example, if you moved to a new area and your current coverage isn’t available, you have a special enrollment period to choose a new plan.6

Canceling because you returned to work

If you return to work and your employer offers health insurance, you have the choice to keep your Medicare coverage instead of, or in addition to, joining your employer’s health plan.

Some people decide to cancel Medicare Part B and join their employer’s plan while they are employed. You can do that and not pay a late-enrollment penalty fee when you re-enroll in Medicare Part B, as long as your employer offers group health insurance that’s at least as good as Medicare.7

When you lose your work-related coverage, which may happen when you leave the job or if you choose not to renew the coverage during open enrollment, you will have an eight-month special enrollment period to re-join Medicare without a late-enrollment penalty.6

You simply don’t want a Medicare plan

If you cancel your Medicare plan without replacing it with another Medicare plan, you could face significant late-enrollment penalties if you try to enroll in Medicare at a later date.8 So it’s best to keep your Medicare plan.

Also, Medicare coverage gives you a variety of benefits, such as free annual wellness visits and other services.

The late-enrollment penalty is based on how long you weren’t covered by Medicare. For each year without coverage, you’ll pay 10% extra on your monthly payment.8 This penalty continues each month for as long as you have a Medicare plan — it’s not a one-time fee.7

If you decide to cancel Medicare without replacing it with another creditable plan, you can only cancel the part for which you pay a monthly payment. That usually means you can cancel Medicare Part B.

To do this, you’ll get in touch with your local Social Security office. They may ask for an interview to go over the risks of dropping your Medicare plan and help you find a better choice. For example, if you’re low-income and struggling with the costs, you may qualify for financial help.9

When can you change your Medicare plan?

You can change your Medicare plan at least once during the year. You may also qualify for a special enrollment period if you have a significant change in your life circumstances that affects your health insurance coverage.6

If you need help choosing a new plan, you might want to work with a health insurance agent.

Open enrollment choices

Most changes are made during open enrollment periods. These are the two you should be aware of:

Open Enrollment Period: Regular open enrollment is from October 15 to December 31 each year. Changes made during this period take effect on January 1 of the following year.10

Changes you can make to your plan include:

  • Leaving Original Medicare to go to a Medicare Advantage plan10
  • Leaving a Medicare Advantage plan to go to Original Medicare10
  • Changing from one Medicare Advantage plan to another10
  • Changing or dropping a Medicare drug plan10

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period: Between January 1 and March 31, if you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you can change to a different Medicare Advantage plan or change from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare. If you return to Original Medicare, you’ll also be able to choose a Medicare drug plan.10

Changes made during this enrollment period take effect on the first of the month after the plan receives your changes.10

Special enrollment periods

A special enrollment period (SEP) is available if specific circumstances change in your life that make it important to update your health insurance.

For example, you might move outside the coverage area of your current Medicare Advantage plan, or you qualify for Medicaid and can get a dual eligibility plan.6 Each circumstance gives you a specific amount of time to get a new plan, so be sure you understand the details of the SEP.

During a special enrollment period, you can choose a Medicare Advantage plan or choose Original Medicare and a drug plan.

Get older adult health care from WellMed today

At WellMed, we’ve specially tailored our health care services to the needs of seniors. We are happy to accept Original Medicare and many Medicare Advantage plans. With locations in Texas and Florida, our team of age-friendly doctors and specialists is ready to help you with any of your health care needs.

Call a WellMed clinic to make an appointment.

Disclaimer

For full information, visit www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day/7 days a week.

References:

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