Your Annual Notice of Change can show
what is changing in your plan for 2027.

Your Medicare Plan Notice Is Arriving

By Better Family Legacy Insurance | Licensed in Georgia, Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, South Carolina, Louisiana, and 30+ additional states

Every September, Medicare plans send out a notice called the Annual Notice of Change.

Most people set it aside.

I understand why. It usually arrives in a plain envelope. It can run twenty pages or more. And if your plan has been fine for the past year, it is easy to assume it will be fine next year too.

But that notice is actually one of the most useful things you will receive all year. It tells you exactly what is changing about your plan before those changes take effect on January 1.

You do not have to read every page. You do have to know what to look for.

That is what this article is for.

Two Documents, Two Different Jobs

If you have a Medicare Advantage or Part D prescription drug plan, you may receive two documents this fall.

The Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) arrives first, usually in September. It summarizes the key changes to your plan for next year; premiums, deductibles, drug coverage, network, and more. This is the document that tells you what is different.

The Evidence of Coverage (EOC) is the full plan document. It covers how the plan works in detail. It may arrive separately, or your plan may direct you to an online version. You will want it if you have specific questions after you read the ANOC.

Start with the ANOC. It is written to be shorter and more direct. Most of what you need to know will be there.

ANOC shows what is changing; EOC gives plan coverage and cost details.

The ANOC points out changes.
The EOC provides fuller coverage and cost details.

Start With the Life You Actually Live

Before you open the notice, take a moment to think about how you used your plan this past year.

Which doctors did you see? Did you need a specialist? Did you end up in urgent care or the hospital? Which prescriptions do you take every day? Which pharmacy do you use?

Your ANOC is going to show you what is changing. You need your own health picture in mind so you can figure out whether those changes matter to you personally.

A change that does not affect your doctors, your medications, or your out-of-pocket costs may not require any action. A change that does affect one of those things deserves a closer look.

As You Read, Check These 5 Things

Five-item Medicare plan review checklist covering premium, deductible, prescriptions, doctors and pharmacy, and copays.

Check your premium, deductible, prescriptions, doctors and pharmacy,
and copays against your 2027 plan information.

You do not need to read every word. Focus on these five areas.

1. Your premium. This is what you pay every month just to have the plan. Check whether it is going up, staying the same, or going down. Even a small monthly increase adds up over twelve months, so it is worth knowing before January arrives.

2. Your deductible. Some plans have a deductible — an amount you pay before the plan starts sharing the cost. If your plan has one, check whether the amount changed. A higher deductible means you are covering more out of pocket before coverage kicks in.

3. Your prescriptions. This one matters a lot if you take daily medications. Plans organize drugs into tiers, and what tier your drug is in affects what you pay. Look up each of your medications in the notice. If a drug moved to a higher tier, your cost for that prescription goes up. If it was removed from the formulary, you may need to talk with your doctor about alternatives or request an exception.

4. Your doctors and pharmacy. Networks can change. A doctor or specialist who was in-network this year may not be in-network next year. Same goes for your pharmacy. Check that your regular providers and your pharmacy are still covered under your plan for next year. If they are not, that is something to take seriously before January.

5. Your copays and cost-sharing. These are the amounts you pay each time you use a service — a doctor visit, a specialist, urgent care, a lab test. Plans adjust these numbers. A small increase in a copay you use often adds up. A decrease is good news. Either way, knowing the number helps you plan.

If any of these five things changed in a way that affects your care, October 15 through December 7 is the Annual Enrollment Period. That is when you can compare plans and make a switch if one makes more sense for your situation.

Meet Patricia

Patricia is 71 and lives in Macon, Georgia.

She has been on the same Medicare Advantage plan for four years. She sees her primary care doctor about four times a year — nothing urgent, just regular visits to stay on top of things. She takes two prescriptions every day: one for blood pressure and one for cholesterol. She has used the same pharmacy for years and they know her by name.

This September, her ANOC arrived. She almost set it aside. Her plan had been fine. Why would anything change?

But she sat down with it anyway.

Everything looked about the same — until she got to the drug formulary section. Her blood pressure medication had moved from Tier 2 to Tier 3. That one change would cost her an extra $18 every month, or about $216 more over the course of the year.

The medication itself was still covered. Her doctor was still in-network. Her pharmacy was still in-network. So Patricia was not in a crisis.

But now she had information. She could call her plan and ask about alternatives. She could talk to her doctor. She could compare other plans during the Annual Enrollment Period and see whether staying or switching made more financial sense.

She did not have to do anything drastic. She just had to know.

That is exactly what the ANOC is for.

If You Help a Parent or Family Member

A lot of adult children are already helping parents keep track of doctor appointments, prescriptions, and paperwork.

If that is you, the ANOC is a good document to go through together.

You can help compare the notice against a list of current medications and current providers. You can help make sure the pharmacy is still in-network. You can help flag anything that looks different from last year.

You do not have to be a Medicare expert to be helpful. You just need a second set of eyes and a little time.

Keep in mind that the Medicare beneficiary's personal health information and plan details are their own. If you plan to call the plan on their behalf, ask the plan what authorization may be needed.

What If the Notice Raises a Question?

Sometimes you read the notice and something is not clear. Maybe you want to know whether a specific drug or provider is covered. Maybe you are not sure how to read the cost-sharing tables.

Here are a few good starting points.

• Call the number on the back of your Medicare card or on the notice itself. Plan representatives can walk you through the changes specific to your plan.

• Visit Medicare.gov to compare plans during the Annual Enrollment Period.

• Contact Georgia SHIP — the State Health Insurance Assistance Program. Georgia SHIP offers free, unbiased Medicare counseling from trained counselors who do not sell insurance. They can help you understand your notice and compare your options. Call 1-866-552-4464, option 4. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What to Do Next

Here is a simple sequence.

• Find your ANOC. If you did not receive one or cannot locate it, contact your plan and ask for a copy or check your plan's member portal.

• Check your five things: premium, deductible, drug coverage, network, and cost-sharing.

• Compare what you find against your current doctors, medications, and pharmacy.

• If something changed in a way that matters, use the Annual Enrollment Period — October 15 through December 7 — to compare plans and make a decision.

• If you have questions, call your plan, use Medicare.gov, or reach out to Georgia SHIP at 1-866-552-4464, option 4.

You do not have to do all of this in one sitting. But do not put it off past December 7. After that date, your coverage for the year is set.

A Note From Me

I started Better Family Legacy Insurance because I believe families deserve Medicare help that actually looks out for them — not just at enrollment, but when the notices arrive, when the questions come up, and when something changes that nobody warned them about.

That is why I write these articles. Not to sell. To inform.

I am licensed in Georgia, Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, South Carolina, Louisiana, and more than 30 additional states. Wherever you are, if you have a question about your Medicare plan or your annual notice, I am glad to help you think it through.

You can reach me at info@betterfamilylegacy.com.

Peace comes from knowing, not guessing.

Patricia is a fictional character used for illustrative purposes.

This article is for general Medicare education. Plan benefits, premiums, formularies, and networks vary by plan and location. During the Annual Enrollment Period, compare your specific plan options at Medicare.gov or speak with a licensed Medicare counselor. Better Family Legacy Insurance is not providing legal, tax, or financial advice.

Better Family Legacy Insurance

Featured post

Medicare Annual Notice of Change: What to Check for 2027