Final answer:
A member can disenroll from their Medicare Advantage plan and return to original Medicare during the Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period from January 1st to February 14th, the Annual Election Period from October 15th to December 7th, or during Special Enrollment Periods triggered by specific events.
Step-by-step explanation:
A member may disenroll from their MA (Medicare Advantage) plan and return to original Medicare during specific enrollment periods. The primary period during which a member can make this change is the Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period (MADP), which runs from January 1st to February 14th each year. During this time, members can leave their Medicare Advantage plan, switch back to original Medicare, and sign up for a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan if they had not already done so while in the Medicare Advantage plan. Another opportunity for members to change their Medicare coverage is during the Annual Election Period (AEP), which occurs from October 15th to December 7th each year. During AEP, members can switch from their MA plan to original Medicare for the following year. Lastly, certain special circumstances, known as Special Enrollment Periods (SEPs), may arise that allow members to switch outside of the usual timeframes. SEPs are triggered by specific events such as moving out of a plan's service area, losing current coverage, or other exceptional conditions.