Can Medicare drop me for health reasons?

Question

Anthony Castelluccio · Accepted Answer

Medicare can NOT drop you because of health reasons. If you have a Medicare supplemental plan and drop the plan because you want to change to a Medicare Advantage and you are on the Medicare Advantage for more than 12 months you will be asked health questions to go back to a Medicare Supplemental plan and some people can not qualify. Or if you missed a monthly premium and have a lapse of coverage, you may have to answer health questions to get back and you may not qualify.

Answered by Anthony Castelluccio on April 28, 2025

Agent Licensed in PA, DE, MD, NJ & VA

Answered by Anthony Castelluccio Medicare Insurance Agent

Lt Col Tim Brown · Answer

No they can not.  Plus you can have Medicare plans no matter what your health is.  So don’t let that one worry you.

Christy Jones · Answer

No. Medicare won’t drop you for health reasons. They will drop you if you don’t pay your premium. Part B will be taken out of your Social Security check. If you don’t collect Social Security you will have to pay quarterly or monthly. Just make sure you pay your premium and you will be fine.

Answered by Christy Jones on August 2, 2025

Broker Licensed in ID, AL, AR & 20 other states

Answered by Christy Jones Medicare Insurance Agent

William Gray · Answer

Medicare is an entitlement benefit. 

As an entitlement benefit you cannot be canceled unless you don't pay for your premium.

Michael Caldwell · Answer

No, Medicare itself does not drop people for health reasons. Medicare is a federal health insurance program, and your health status does not affect your eligibility or enrollment in Medicare Parts A and B. However, Medicare Advantage plans (Part C), which offer additional benefits and may be preferred by some, can disenroll beneficiaries for certain reasons, not including health status.

Answered by Michael Caldwell on May 20, 2025

Broker Licensed in IN, AL, AR & 31 other states

Answered by Michael Caldwell Medicare Insurance Agent

Cynthia Nakaya · Answer

Medicare is for all who qualify. There is no underwriting for Original Medicare, nor is there underwriting for Medicare Advantage. If you enroll into Medicare Supplement during your initial enrollment period or under a special enrollment period that guarantees coverage, there is no underwriting required. 

If you are in a plan and have substantial health issues, you can't be dropped for that reason. There are actually Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans for people with certain chronic conditions (C-SNPs). So, focus on improving your health for your sake, not out of fear of losing your coverage.

Justin Doherty · Answer

No, you cannot be dropped because of a health condition. In fact, your premium cannot be changed because of your specific health reasons either.

Sandra Bailey · Answer

No Medicare cannot drop you for health reasons.  

However, if you have a Medicare Supplement Plan and for whatever reason, switch to a Medicare Advantage Plan, then decide you want to go back to a supplement, you may not qualify if you have health issues.  You have one open enrollment for Medicare Supplement, but you can enroll in Medicare Advantage without having to qualify.

Michael Wehner · Answer

Medicare can not drop you for health reasons. Neither can a Medicare plan drop you because you've developed any kind of health issues.

Barbara Barnes, CMIP® · Answer

Simply put, no.

But you need to pay attention, too, because things constantly change in Medicare - especially in Medicare Advantage.

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, your plan can end - they can leave the marketplace and not be available the next year.  If this happens, you will need to choose a new plan or you could find yourself back on Original Medicare facing larger out-of-pocket expenses without supplemental coverage.  You have to read your mail to be sure you know about things like this.

Also in Medicare Advantage, your doctor could leave the network or your medication could no longer be covered on their formulary.  While this is not strictly cancellation of your coverage, it could feel like you don't have coverage to see the doctors or receive the treatments you want.

If you are paying your Part B premium to Social Security because you do not yet receive Social Security Retirement benefits for them to deduct that premium from, you can lose your Original Medicare coverage if you do not pay the Part B premium.  If this happens, it is a big mess to fix and you could face penalties and long periods without coverage before coverage can start again.

So it's really important, when you have Medicare, to READ and UNDERSTAND all of your mail.  There are important notices that you will only receive by mail, so if you throw them away without reading them,  you're eventually going to have a big problem.  If you don't understand what you've received, that is the time to reach out to an experienced Medicare Insurance Agent for help to know what the notice means and what options you have and what deadlines you must meet.

Leslie Helene Sussman · Answer

No Medicare does NOT drop a beneficiary due to Health Reasons.  Medicare can stop coverage for non-payment of Premium.   No Pre-existing conditions on Medicare/Medicare Advantage/RX plans.

Chad Watkins · Answer

Medicare cannot drop you for health reasons nor can Medicare Advantage plans or Medicare supplement plans once you are approved for a policy, as it is guaranteed renewable. However, outside of your initial enrollment period, you may need to answer health questions in order to be eligible for a Medicare supplement.

Answered by Chad Watkins on May 15, 2025

Agent Licensed in NJ, AK, AL & 48 other states

Answered by Chad Watkins Medicare Insurance Agent

Aaron Solomon · Answer

No!!!! Medicare must take you as is. On a supplement, if it is not the initial enrollment , you must answer health questions. They have the right to charge you a higher premium charge.

Fred Manas · Answer

No, Medicare will not drop you due to your health status. 
Medicare is a federal health insurance program, and it does not have the ability to deny or drop coverage based on your medical condition. 
However, Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) can be dropped, but not for health reasons.

Steve Brauer · Answer

This answer is provided in a video format. Watch the agent's video response here: https://medicareagentshub.com/questions/can-medicare-drop-me-for-health-reasons#steve-brauer

Andrew Kramer · Answer

No, Medicare cannot drop you for health reasons. Medicare is a federal program, and once you qualify for it, it's yours for life.

Answered by Ingrid Kollmann on April 27, 2025

Agent Licensed in CA

Answered by Ingrid Kollmann Medicare Insurance Agent

Mike Henry · Answer

No Medicare can’t drop you for health reasons.  Neither can your supplement or advantage plan. If they do try call your state board of insurance

Jaye Maxx Alexander II · Answer

Medicare cannot drop you for health reasons. Medicare is a federal health insurance program, and your health status does not affect your eligibility or enrollment in Medicare Parts A and B. However, Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) can disenroll beneficiaries for specific reasons, not including health status. If you have substantial health issues, you can't be dropped for that reason. There are also Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans for people with certain chronic conditions (C-SNPs). It is essential to focus on improving your health for your sake, not out of fear of losing your coverage.1

Answered by Jaye Maxx Alexander II on May 28, 2025

Broker Licensed in NC, AK, AL & 47 other states

Answered by Jaye Maxx Alexander II Medicare Insurance Agent

Eizel Mere · Answer

No, ince you have Medicare, (advantage plan or supplement) you cannot be dropped. If you try to take a supplement after turning 66 you will need to answer health questions and they will decline you for health conditions and certain medications.

Answered by Eizel Mere on April 28, 2025

Broker Licensed in FL

Answered by Eizel Mere Medicare Insurance Agent

Tony Hardwick · Answer

No. Medicare isn't based on health status. Your plan could be terminated if you move outside of the plan's service area, losing Medicare or Medicaid eligibility, or if the plan's contract with Medicare ends.

Answered by Tony Hardwick on April 28, 2025

Agent Licensed in GA, AZ, CA & 15 other states

Answered by Tony Hardwick Medicare Insurance Agent

Kimberly Hargis · Answer

Medicare cannot drop you for health reasons.  They can drop you for not paying your Part B or your premiums (if you pay a monthly premium).

Steven Rodriguez Giudicelli · Answer

No, Original Medicare (Part A & Part B) will not drop you due to changes in your health or if you get sick. Once you're enrolled, your coverage for Medicare-covered services generally continues regardless of your health conditions.

Answered by Steven Rodriguez Giudicelli on June 3, 2025

Broker Licensed in FL & TX

Answered by Steven Rodriguez Giudicelli Medicare Insurance Agent

Ingrid Kollmann · Answer

No, Medicare cannot drop you for health reasons. Medicare is a federal program, and once you qualify for it, it's yours for life.

Robert Barco · Answer

No, Medicare will not drop you for health reasons.  It was set up to be there for you when you need the most help.  It is a stable program you can rely on.

Louanne Allison · Answer

No.  Medicare is an entitlement to adults who have worked 40 quarters or 10 years and paid Medicare taxes.

Jason Kirschner · Answer

People may lose their Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan for various reasons, including unpaid premiums, relocation, or when a plan is discontinued. After losing a plan, a person may join another Advantage plan, but they may need to do so within a certain time frame.

NOT FOR HEALTH REASONS, No Absolutely not

Phyllis Dixon · Answer

When would health conditions affect a Medicare plan. 
Mostly no, but several exceptions:
Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans don't drop people for medical conditions generally, although recovering from a medical condition and then from Social Security Disability qualification could be a health condition issue in reverse, for those under 65. They got well and were dropped from Medicare if under age 65. 
Medicare supplements and disqualification:
1. for new applicants:  if there is no special enrollment period like moving to another state, losing employer coverage, turning 65, new to Part B, etc. Then Medicare supplements generally require answering medical questions in order to qualify for their coverage. A higher rate or declining the application could occur.
2. If the premium is not paid on an existing Medicare Supplement during the specific plan's grace period, there would likely be medical questions to answer same as a new applicant in general, and they can be declined a reinstatement of the plan.
3. Medicare Advantage limited situations: 
perhaps if someone was not truthful or misunderstood the rules with some special needs Medicare Advantage plans had enrolled and was found unqualified for one of those plans requring specific health conditions, they could be disenrolled. Very likely after the disenrollment notice to be able to enroll in a plan suited to their situation as a limited time special election period.