Your Medicare plan is about to tell you what changes will be coming up with the new year. That document-your Annual Notice of Change-deserves more than a glance. Here is how to read it section by section, spot what matters, and decide what to do before the deadline.
Key Takeaways
Most people receive their ANOC letter in late September. Your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan must deliver it by September 30, 2026, and it outlines any changes effective that will be going into effect 1, 2027.
The ANOC applies to Medicare Advantage plans and stand-alone prescription drug plans, not to Original Medicare or most Medicare Supplement policies. Medigap has no specific fall annual enrollment period.
Compare the 2026 and 2027 columns of ANOC for premiums, co-pays, deductibles, drug tiers, and provider and pharmacy networks. Use the ANOC as a starting checklist, then verify details in plan directories and formularies.
Review your ANOC to avoid unexpected costs after January 1. Ignoring the ANOC can lead to unexpected coverage changes in your health coverage.
The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026. You have until December 7 to decide whether to keep your current plan or switch plans for 2027.
The ANOC is a summary of plan changes, not a personalized audit. You still need to confirm your preferred doctors, hospitals, and medications using 2027 directories.
What the 2027 ANOC Is-and Who Receives It
The Annual Notice of Change is a required notice from your Medicare Advantage plan or Medicare Part D plan explaining how your coverage will change for the 2027 calendar year. Plans must send the ANOC by September 30, 2026, with the changes described becoming effective January 1, 2027-a timeline established by Medicare rules.
Plans that send an ANOC include Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans offered by private insurance companies. Original Medicare and most Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policies do not use this format. You may receive the ANOC letter as a paper packet, an email, or a notice in your online member portal.
If you have employer or union group Medicare coverage, your notices may look different. Check with your benefits administrator before changing anything.
How Your 2027 ANOC Is Organized: 2026 vs. 2027 Columns
Most ANOC letters are typically 18 to 22 pages long and use side-by-side columns showing your 2026 amounts next to your 2027 amounts so you can quickly spot differences. Look for section headings like “Summary of Important Costs” or similar language from CMS templates.
Items shown in both columns typically include:
Monthly premium for medical and drug coverage
Medical deductible and Part D deductible
Primary care and specialist copays
Hospital stays, emergency room, and outpatient services
Out-of-pocket maximum for Medicare Advantage coverage
Drug coverage by formulary tier, with costs at preferred pharmacy vs. standard in-network pharmacies
These columns show general benefit structures, not every scenario. Treat them as a starting map, then verify details in the Evidence of Coverage.
Reading the Cost Changes in Your 2027 ANOC
The ANOC provides specific information about premium changes and new drug formulary details. Plans can change premiums, copays, and provider networks annually, so understanding how your 2027 costs differ from 2026 is the most important step.
Check the 2027 monthly premium column first, but remember that a low premium does not always mean lower total cost if copays and deductibles are higher. The standard Part D deductible maximum rises from $615 in 2026 to $700 in 2027, though your plan may use a lower amount. The annual maximum out-of-pocket spending cap for Part D prescription drugs rises to $2,400 in 2027, up from $2,100 in 2026. After reaching that threshold, covered Part D drugs cost you $0 for the rest of 2027. This cap does not include Medicare Advantage medical out-of-pocket costs or non-covered drugs.
Hypothetical example (not a real plan): Suppose your 2027 ANOC shows a $10-per-month premium savings compared to 2026, but your specialist copay increases from $30 to $50. If you see a specialist monthly, that is $240 more per year in co-pays-outweighing $120 in premium savings by $120. Always estimate total annual cost, not just the monthly premium line.
Medicare Advantage plans also list a separate 2027 medical out-of-pocket maximum that limits in-network costs for Part A and Part B services, but that limit is distinct from the Part D drug spending cap.
Checking Your 2027 Drug Coverage in the ANOC
The ANOC will not list every medication by name, but it explains changes to the formulary structure, tiers, and standard prescription drug costs that affect what you pay for prescription drug coverage. Look for notes about drugs moving to a different tier or changes between preferred and standard pharmacy network pricing.
Key Medicare Part D plan rules to understand:
Prior authorization – the plan must approve before paying
Step therapy – you must try a different drug first
Quantity limits – a cap on the amount covered over a period
Changes in Medicare Part D coverage include elimination of the coverage-gap phase for drug costs, which has been in effect since 2025 under the Inflation Reduction Act. If a drug you take will newly require prior authorization or has been removed from the formulary, do not stop or change medicines on your own-talk to your prescriber about exceptions or alternatives.
Create a written medication list (drug name, dosage, frequency, preferred pharmacy) and check each drug’s tier, restrictions, and estimated costs in the plan’s 2027 formulary tool. Transition fills may be available at the start of 2027 if a current drug is newly restricted, but these temporary supplies are not guaranteed ongoing coverage.
Confirming Doctors, Hospitals, and Pharmacies for 2027
Plans may change provider networks, affecting access to doctors and pharmacies. Although the ANOC may describe general network changes, it typically will not list every provider leaving or joining.
Use the plan’s 2027 provider directory to confirm each primary care doctor, specialist, and hospital is still in network. Make sure the year selector shows 2027.
Call particularly important providers-surgeons, cardiologists, cancer centers-before year-end to ask whether they will participate in your named Medicare Advantage plan’s network for 2027.
Check the 2027 pharmacy network list. Whether your regular pharmacy is preferred or non-preferred can significantly change prescription drug benefits costs.
The ANOC is not a personalized provider or drug report. Completing this verification using 2027 directories and plan customer service is your responsibility.
Understanding Extra Benefits, Renewals, and Nonrenewals
Many Medicare Advantage plans offer extra benefits such as dental, vision, hearing aids, transportation, and fitness memberships. Review your ANOC for changes to supplemental benefits like dental and vision coverage, including maximum allowances, visit caps, and any new authorization rules for the following year.
The ANOC will tell you whether your plan is renewing for 2027. If a plan is not renewing, you will receive additional information about options and may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Staying in a renewing plan is usually automatic if you do nothing-but “automatic” does not mean “unchanged,” which is why reading the ANOC matters.
Switching from a Medicare Advantage plan back to Original Medicare plus a Medigap plan is not guaranteed during the fall Medicare open enrollment period. Medigap insurers can require health underwriting unless a specific guaranteed-issue right applies under federal or state insurance rules. Confirm Medigap eligibility and premiums before submitting a disenrollment request.
ANOC vs. Evidence of Coverage (EOC) and Other Plan Materials
The ANOC and the Evidence of Coverage serve different purposes. The ANOC differs from the Evidence of Coverage by focusing on what changes are occurring between 2026 and 2027. The EOC provides detailed coverage information and legal rights for the entire 2027 plan year-benefits, exclusions, rules, and your rights.
The EOC may be sent with the ANOC or separately. Some plans provide it mainly online. You can request a paper copy. Use the ANOC to spot changes, then consult the EOC for details on topics like specialist referrals, inpatient authorizations, or how much your plan covers for hospital stays and skilled nursing.
Marketing materials arriving after October 1 promote 2027 Medicare plans and are separate from the ANOC. Receiving marketing does not mean you have enrolled or changed coverage.
Step-by-Step: Using Your 2027 ANOC Before the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period
From late September through the annual open enrollment period (October 15–December 7, 2026), follow this sequence so coverage changes take effect January 1, 2027:
Open your ANOC as soon as it arrives. Skim the summary pages.
Circle or highlight 2027 changes in premiums, deductibles, copays, drug coverage, and services that affect your situation.
Create a worksheet with three columns-“What I Have in 2026,” “What My Plan Shows for 2027,” and “Impact on Me”-covering at least monthly premium, medical deductible, Part D deductible, out-of-pocket maximum, key copays, and critical medications or providers.
Compare your current plan with other plans once 2027 information is available, using your real medication list, preferred doctors, and pharmacies.
If you have employer or union retiree coverage, speak with your benefits administrator before making changes through the Medicare annual enrollment period-changing on your own can affect group benefits.
Once you have written down your 2027 changes and decided whether to keep, switch, or drop your Medicare Advantage or Part D coverage, you can use the guided checklists at MedicareChecklist.com to walk through the enrollment steps for your specific situation-whether that is staying in an MA plan, comparing prescription drug plans, or exploring other plans.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Medicare Annual Notice of Change for 2027
By Medicare rules, your plan should send the Medicare ANOC by September 30. If it has not arrived, call the customer service number on your plan ID card, confirm your mailing address and email, and request that the ANOC be resent or made available in your member portal. The federal government requires plans to provide this notice, so do not let a missing letter prevent you from understanding plan changes.
Beneficiaries do not need to change plans if satisfied with their 2027 coverage. If rising costs are modest and the plan still meets your needs and budget, doing nothing generally keeps you enrolled. There is no requirement to switch Medicare plans during the Medicare annual open enrollment period.
Medigap policies do not use the notice of change ANOC format. Their standardized benefits usually do not change year to year, though premiums can increase. The fall annual enrollment period and ANOC rules apply only to Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans, not to Medicare Supplement insurance.
Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan on January 1, 2027 generally have a separate Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 to March 31. During that window you may switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare with or without a stand-alone Part D plan. This window does not apply to people who only have stand-alone Part D with Original Medicare.
The Medicare annual notice may mention programs that help pay for higher costs, but it does not determine eligibility. If you think you may qualify for Extra Help, Medicaid services, or state assistance, contact Social Security, your state Medicaid office, or your State Health Insurance Assistance Program for personalized guidance.
