Annual Notice of Change (ANOC): What to Expect and When
Annual Notice of Change (ANOC): What to Expect and When
Every September, millions of Medicare Advantage and Part D members receive a letter in the mail that’s easy to set aside — and easy to regret ignoring. It’s called the Annual Notice of Change, or ANOC, and it’s one of the most important pieces of mail you’ll get all year if you have Medicare coverage. Here’s what it is, when to expect it, and what to do once it lands in your mailbox.
What Is the Annual Notice of Change?
The ANOC is a letter your Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D plan is required to send you every year. It spells out exactly how your plan is changing for the upcoming plan year — premiums, deductibles, copays, covered drugs, and provider networks. Think of it as your plan’s way of saying, “here’s what’s different starting January 1.”
Even if you’re happy with your current plan, the ANOC matters because plans change every year. A plan that was a great fit last year might have a higher premium, a smaller drug formulary, or a shrunken provider network for the coming year — and the only way to know is to read this letter.
When Does the ANOC Arrive?
By law, Medicare Advantage and Part D plans must deliver your ANOC no later than September 30 each year. Most people receive it in the mail during the last two weeks of September, either as a standalone letter or combined with your Evidence of Coverage (EOC) document.
This timing isn’t random — it’s designed to give you roughly two weeks to review the changes before the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) begins on October 15 and runs through December 7. Any changes you make during AEP take effect January 1 of the following year.
- By September 30: Your plan sends your ANOC
- October 15 – December 7: Annual Enrollment Period — compare plans and make changes
- January 1: New plan year begins; any changes you made take effect
What to Look For in Your ANOC
The ANOC can run several pages, but you don’t need to read every word — focus on the sections that affect your wallet and your care. Here’s what matters most:
- Monthly premium – Is it going up, down, or staying the same?
- Deductible – Check both medical and prescription drug deductibles for changes.
- Copays and coinsurance – Look closely at costs for doctor visits, specialist visits, and hospital stays.
- Prescription drug formulary – This is one of the most commonly overlooked sections. Confirm your specific medications are still covered, and check if their cost tier has changed.
- Provider and pharmacy networks – Confirm your doctors, specialists, and preferred pharmacy are still in-network for the coming year.
- Extra benefits – Dental, vision, hearing, and over-the-counter allowances can change year to year, sometimes significantly.
- Maximum out-of-pocket limit – This caps what you’ll pay out of pocket in a plan year; check whether it has increased.
What to Do After You Read Your ANOC
Once you’ve reviewed the changes, you have a few options:
- Stay enrolled — no action needed. If your plan’s changes don’t affect you and you’re satisfied with your coverage, you don’t have to do anything. Your plan will automatically continue into the new year.
- Switch to a different plan. If the changes to your current plan don’t work for you, the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7) is your window to compare and switch to a different Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
- Consider Medicare Supplement coverage. If network changes or rising costs are a recurring frustration, it may be worth comparing Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans, which let you see any doctor nationwide who accepts Medicare.
- Ask for help. Reviewing an ANOC and comparing it against other available plans can be confusing, especially if you’re weighing several factors at once. An independent Medicare broker can walk through the changes with you and compare your plan against others in your area at no cost.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming “no news is good news.” If you don’t remember reading your ANOC, don’t assume nothing changed. Dig it out or call your plan to request another copy.
- Only checking the premium. A steady premium can hide a much bigger cost increase elsewhere, like a shrinking drug formulary or a higher deductible.
- Waiting until December to review it. The earlier you read your ANOC, the more time you have to compare alternatives before the December 7 deadline.
- Assuming your doctor is still in-network. Provider networks can shift year to year even if you haven’t changed plans.
Get Help Reviewing Your ANOC
If your ANOC left you with more questions than answers, you don’t have to sort it out alone. As an independent, carrier-agnostic Medicare broker, we can review your ANOC with you, compare it against other plans available in your area, and help you decide whether to stay put or make a change — all at no cost to you.
Call us at 800-577-2075