Your Medicare Annual Notice of Change is arriving in the mail this month — and ignoring it is one of the costliest mistakes you can make before Open Enrollment.
If you’re in a Medicare Advantage or Part D drug plan, your plan must send you a Plan Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) each fall. That letter lays out what will change in your coverage and costs starting in January. Industry guidance is clear: plans have to get it to you by September 30. If yours hasn’t shown up, don’t wait — contact your plan.
Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage runs October 15 through December 7, 2026. New coverage begins January 1. You’ve got a short window to compare, switch, or stick — and the ANOC is your starting map.
What is the Medicare Annual Notice of Change?
The ANOC isn’t junk mail. It’s your plan’s official heads-up on next year’s benefits, premiums, deductibles, copays, pharmacy networks, and provider lists.
Medicare.gov is blunt about it: if you’re in a Medicare plan, that plan sends an ANOC each fall with coverage and cost changes that take effect in January. No ANOC? Call your plan. Don’t assume “same as last year” means same costs or same doctors.
Many people toss the envelope because it looks like another insurance flyer. That’s how you wake up in January paying more for the same prescriptions — or discover your preferred doctor is suddenly out of network.
When does Medicare Open Enrollment start in 2026?
Mark your calendar from the Medicare and You 2026 handbook:
- October 1, 2026 — start comparing coverage for 2027
- October 15–December 7, 2026 — Open Enrollment to join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or drug plan, or switch to Original Medicare for 2027
- January 1 — new coverage begins
That means you can start shopping on October 1, but your official enrollment window opens October 15. Use the early days of October to read your ANOC side by side with plan options on Medicare.gov — so you’re ready to act when the window opens, not scrambling in December.
What should I check in my Annual Notice of Change?
Don’t skim. Pull out a highlighter and work through these points in order.
Premiums and deductibles
Look for changes to your plan’s monthly premium and any deductible you pay before coverage kicks in. Separately, know the 2026 standard Part B premium: $202.90 per month, with a Part B deductible of $283 for 2026. Your Advantage or drug plan costs sit on top of (or in place of) pieces of that picture depending on how you’re enrolled — so compare the full stack, not just one line item.
Drug costs and formulary
Check which drugs moved tiers, which require prior authorization, and whether your pharmacy is still preferred. A drug that was $10 last year can jump tiers overnight. If you take maintenance meds, this section is non-negotiable.
Doctor and hospital networks
Confirm your primary care doctor, specialists, and preferred hospital are still in network for 2027. Network changes are a top reason people switch plans during Open Enrollment — and a top reason people get stuck with surprise bills when they don’t.
Extra benefits that quietly disappeared
Dental, vision, hearing, gym, meal, or OTC allowances often shrink or vanish year to year. If those extras drove your choice last year, verify they’re still there at the same level.
Out-of-pocket maximums and referral rules
Note any change to the annual out-of-pocket max and whether you still need referrals for specialists. Small rule shifts create big friction when you actually need care.
How do I compare Medicare plans before October 15?
Start with your ANOC in hand, then go to Medicare.gov/plan-compare. Enter your ZIP code, your current drugs, and your preferred pharmacies and doctors. Rank plans by total estimated annual cost — premium plus expected out-of-pocket — not by the lowest sticker premium alone.
A $0-premium Advantage plan can cost you more over a year if your specialists are out of network or your drugs sit on expensive tiers. The comparison tool exists so you can see that before you lock in.
If you’re on Original Medicare with a Part D plan, run the same drug check. Formulary changes are where “set it and forget it” quietly becomes expensive.
Should I call 1-800-MEDICARE or use SHIP?
Both have a place. 1-800-MEDICARE is the official help line when you need plan questions answered or enrollment help through Medicare. For free, personalized counseling — walking through your ANOC, your meds, and your doctors with a real person who isn’t selling a plan — use your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
SHIP counselors don’t push products. They help you compare options and understand tradeoffs. Search Medicare.gov for SHIP for your state rather than guessing a phone number. If your ANOC is confusing or your health situation is complex, that free hour can save you months of regret.
What if I never got my Annual Notice of Change?
Contact your plan first. Medicare.gov says exactly that: if you don’t get your ANOC, reach out to the plan. Ask them to resend it and confirm your mailing address on file.
While you wait, pull last year’s Evidence of Coverage and your current ID card, then start a draft comparison on Medicare.gov/plan-compare using your known drugs and providers. You don’t need to wait for the letter to begin shopping on October 1 — but you do need the ANOC (or a plan summary) before you decide “no change” is actually safe.
Also check spam folders and ask anyone who shares your mailbox. Plans mail these by September 30; late delivery happens, but silence isn’t a reason to skip Open Enrollment.
Do I have to switch plans every year?
No. Staying put is fine — if you’ve verified that staying put still fits your doctors, drugs, and budget. The contrarian move isn’t switching for sport. It’s refusing to rubber-stamp last year’s choice when the ANOC shows higher costs or a thinner network.
Some years the best decision is keeping your current Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. Other years, switching to a different Advantage plan, changing Part D coverage, or moving back to Original Medicare for 2027 is the money-smart call. Open Enrollment exists so you can make that choice without drama — once a year, on a fixed calendar.
COLA and Social Security adjustments are a separate story announced later in the fall. Don’t wait on those numbers to do your plan homework. Your ANOC and plan comparison are about benefits and costs you can act on now, between October 15 and December 7.
Your pre–October 15 checklist
Work this list before Open Enrollment opens — or in the first week once it does:
- Find your ANOC (or call your plan if it’s missing)
- Highlight premium, deductible, drug, and network changes
- List every prescription you take and the pharmacies you use
- Confirm your doctors and hospital are still in network for 2027
- Compare options on Medicare.gov/plan-compare starting October 1
- Call 1-800-MEDICARE or book a free SHIP counseling session if you’re stuck
- Enroll or switch only during October 15–December 7, 2026, so coverage starts January 1
Your Medicare Annual Notice of Change isn’t optional reading. It’s the one letter that tells you what next year’s coverage will actually cost — and whether the plan you’re in still deserves your loyalty. Read it. Compare. Decide before the window closes.
