The Plan Annual Notice of Change, often called the ANOC, is one of the most useful documents to read before Medicare Open Enrollment. Medicare says a Medicare plan sends the notice each fall, usually in September. It describes changes in coverage, costs, and other plan details that take effect in January.

The ANOC is not an advertisement. It is a starting point for checking whether your current plan will still work for the care, medicines, providers, and budget you expect next year.

Put three documents side by side

Keep your ANOC with:

  • Your plan card and current Evidence of Coverage
  • A current list of prescriptions and pharmacies
  • The names of the doctors, hospitals, and services you use most

You do not need to copy private identifiers into a personal comparison note. The goal is to create a short checklist of what needs to be verified.

Read the notice in this order

1. Confirm the plan and the year

Check that the notice names your current Medicare Advantage or Part D plan and the next coverage year. Look for language explaining whether the plan will continue and what will change. If you do not receive an ANOC, Medicare says to contact your plan.

2. Mark every cost that changed

Look for changes to the plan premium, deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and other cost-sharing rules. If the plan has a yearly out-of-pocket limit for covered Medicare services, note any change to that limit and the services it applies to.

Avoid comparing only the monthly premium. A plan with a lower premium can still work differently for the services or prescriptions you use. Write down the costs that are most likely to affect your year.

3. Check doctors, hospitals, and service area

If you have Medicare Advantage, confirm that the providers and facilities you rely on are still in the plan’s network and service area. Check the rules for referrals and prior authorization when they apply. A provider directory can change, so use the current plan materials and contact the plan if an important provider’s status is unclear.

If you are considering Original Medicare, remember that provider access and supplemental coverage work differently. You may want Medigap, but switching to Original Medicare during Open Enrollment does not automatically guarantee that an insurance company will accept a Medigap application.

4. Review the drug list carefully

For a Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage or a stand-alone Part D plan, check every regular prescription against the next year’s formulary. Look for changes to covered drugs, cost tiers, prior authorization, step therapy, quantity limits, and preferred pharmacies.

Enter your current prescriptions into Medicare.gov’s plan comparison tool when next year’s plan information is available. The tool and the official plan materials can show details that a general summary cannot.

5. Verify extra benefits

If you use dental, vision, hearing, transportation, fitness, or other extra benefits, read the conditions carefully. Check whether the benefit has a dollar limit, a specific provider, an authorization rule, or an eligibility requirement. Treat an extra benefit as part of the comparison only after you understand how it can actually be used.

Compare during the correct window

CMS says information about the next year’s plans becomes available beginning in October. The yearly Medicare Open Enrollment Period then runs from October 15 through December 7. During that period, you can join, drop, or switch Medicare Advantage or Part D coverage and can move between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. Changes generally take effect January 1 of the next year when the plan receives the request by December 7.

The January 1-March 31 Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period is separate. It is for people already in Medicare Advantage and allows one change to another Medicare Advantage Plan or back to Original Medicare, with the option to join a separate drug plan. It is not a general second Open Enrollment Period for people in Original Medicare.

Medigap has a one-time six-month Open Enrollment Period that begins when a person is 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. Outside that period, federal law generally does not require an insurer to sell a Medigap policy unless a guaranteed issue right or another protection applies. State rules may add protections.

Use a one-page decision check

After reading the ANOC, write one answer beside each question:

  • What changes next year?
  • Which doctor, facility, pharmacy, or medication needs a closer check?
  • Which cost matters most for the care I expect to use?
  • Does the plan still cover the providers and drugs I rely on?
  • If I switch to Original Medicare, what happens to drug coverage and Medigap eligibility?
  • What source will confirm the final answer?

If the current plan still meets your needs and remains available, CMS says you do not need to change plans. If something important changed, compare current options through Medicare.gov and contact the plan or a State Health Insurance Assistance Program for help understanding the documents.

This article is general educational information, not personal insurance, medical, legal, or financial advice. Plan details and enrollment protections can depend on your location, coverage, and circumstances. Confirm decisions with Medicare, your plan, or a qualified counselor.

Official sources

Composite, anonymized examples. No real member information. Views are my own and don't represent HCSC (HealthSpring).