The 6-month rule
Medicare Advantage plans can only enroll people who live in their service area (42 CFR 422.50(a)(3)). The disenrollment rule in 42 CFR 422.74(d)(4) covers time away:
| Time away from your plan's service area | What happens |
|---|---|
| Up to 6 months in a row | You stay enrolled. Emergencies and urgent care are covered away from home. |
| More than 6 months, plan has no visitor or traveler option | The plan must disenroll you, and you return to Original Medicare. |
| More than 6 but less than 12 months, plan has a visitor or traveler option | You can stay enrolled; you're disenrolled on the first day of the 13th month away. |
| You move permanently | The plan must disenroll you; you get a Special Enrollment Period to choose new coverage. |
About visitor and traveler options
Under 42 CFR 422.74(d)(4)(iii), a plan may offer a visitor or traveler benefit to members who are out of the service area but in the U.S. If it does, it must offer it to all members away for an extended period, may limit it to certain areas and qualified providers, and must cover all Part A and Part B services there. Plans aren't required to offer it. We don't list which plans do: check a plan's Evidence of Coverage.
How to protect your coverage
- Track your days. Know your departure and return dates each winter.
- Keep mail flowing. 42 CFR 422.74 lets a plan treat you as temporarily absent when its required mailings come back undeliverable with no forwarding address.
- Ask your plan before you leave what it covers in Florida and whether it has a visitor or traveler option.
- Compare during Open Enrollment. It runs October 15 to December 7, 2026 for 2027 coverage. If Florida stays get longer, coverage that works in any state may fit better.
Ohio has no yearly Medigap switching right. If you leave Medicare Advantage later without a guaranteed-issue right, a Medigap company can review your health and turn you down.
Dual eligible plans, including MyCare Ohio plans, are Medicare Advantage plans and follow the same rule. More in our guide for Ohio snowbirds and Medicare Advantage in Ohio. To compare plans from the companies they work with, you can request a call from a licensed insurance agent.
Related questions
Does my Ohio Medicare work in Florida?
Coverage by type.
Ohio or Florida for Medicare?
Which state's plans you can join.
What if I move to Florida for good?
The move Special Enrollment Period.
Sources
- eCFR — 42 CFR 422.74, Disenrollment by the MA organization
- eCFR — 42 CFR 422.50, Eligibility to elect an MA plan
- Medicare.gov — HMO plans
- Ohio Administrative Code 3901-8-08 — Medicare supplement open enrollment and guaranteed issue
More questions in this guide
- Can I fill prescriptions in Florida with my Ohio Part D plan?
- Does my Ohio Medicare work in Florida?
- Does an Ohio Medigap policy work in Florida?
- Should snowbirds sign up for Medicare in Ohio or Florida?
- What happens to my Medicare if I move from Ohio to Florida for good?
Part of the guide: Ohio snowbirds and Medicare: spending winters in Florida · All questions
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I'm disenrolled for being away too long?
You're returned to Original Medicare. If your plan included drug coverage, you'd need to join a Part D plan, and a Medigap company in Ohio can usually ask health questions unless you have a guaranteed-issue right.
Does my plan cover me in Florida during the 6 months?
Emergency and urgent care are covered. Routine care depends on the plan: HMOs generally require network providers, and PPOs usually cover out-of-network Medicare providers at a higher cost.
How do I know if my plan has a visitor or traveler option?
It's a plan benefit, so check your plan's Evidence of Coverage or call the member services number on your card. Plans aren't required to offer it and may limit it to certain areas and providers.
Medicare in your Ohio county
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