What is an Annual Notice of Change?
The Annual Notice of Change is a document from your current Medicare Advantage or standalone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. Some plans label it Annual Notice of Changes, and you may see either version shortened to ANOC. It summarizes what the plan expects to change for the next calendar year, including coverage, costs, benefits, provider or pharmacy networks and plan rules. The changes generally take effect January 1.
Major carriers use different delivery methods. The document may come through the mail, email or your plan's secure member website. Do not confuse it with the Evidence of Coverage, a separate document containing the plan's complete coverage and rules. If you cannot locate your Annual Notice of Change by September 30, check your mail, email and member portal, then call Member Services and request a copy.
Seven things to check
Check each item after you compare it with your 2027 Annual Notice of Change. Your selections stay on this page and are not submitted to Senior Benefit Assistance.
Compare the notice with your current needs
A plan that worked well this year may work differently next year. A changed prescription tier, pharmacy status, provider network or service cost can affect both access to care and the household budget. The Annual Notice of Change helps you identify those differences before the new plan year begins.
Start with your current medication list, preferred pharmacy, doctors, planned care and any recent difficulty getting a service approved or resolved. Compare each need with the notice, one item at a time. The Medicare Part B premium is a separate monthly cost for most beneficiaries, so do not confuse it with a Medicare Advantage or standalone Medicare Part D plan premium.
Keeping the same insurance card does not guarantee that every cost, provider, pharmacy or coverage rule will remain the same. Some plans may also leave a service area or stop being offered for the following year. When that occurs, the plan or Medicare should provide separate information explaining the change and available next steps.
Use the notice to make a written list of anything that could change your costs, interrupt your care or require follow-up. Confirm important provider and pharmacy information directly before relying on it.
What remains unknown: final 2027 premiums and plan-specific details are not established by general national announcements. As official information becomes available, this article should be rechecked against current Medicare and plan materials.
If the notice does not arrive
First, check your mail, email, spam folder and the plan's secure member website. If you still cannot find it, call the Member Services number on your member identification card and ask for your complete 2027 Annual Notice of Change and any inserts. Confirm whether the plan mailed the document, delivered it electronically or posted it online.
Write down the date of your call, the representative's name, any confirmation number and when you should expect the document. If it does not arrive when promised, follow up with the plan. You may also call 1-800-MEDICARE or visit Medicare.gov for official assistance.
Use this guide for the next step. The definitions, checklist and official sources on this page can help you identify the correct document, understand unfamiliar terms and recognize changes that deserve closer review. Senior Benefit Assistance provides general Medicare education and can explain unfamiliar terms or help organize questions. Questions involving a specific claim, provider record or document delivery must be confirmed by the plan or Medicare.
Know the fall dates
By September 30: Your current Medicare Advantage or standalone Medicare Part D plan should provide its Annual Notice of Change. Review it so you understand what your current coverage expects to change.
Beginning October 1: Official information about Medicare plans for the following year becomes available. Enrollment applications for January 1 coverage generally cannot be accepted before October 15.
October 15 through December 7: Medicare Open Enrollment is the period when eligible beneficiaries may join, switch or leave a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D plan for the following year. A properly completed change generally takes effect January 1 when the plan receives the enrollment request by December 7.
January 1: New plan elections and changes made during Medicare Open Enrollment generally take effect.