Every fall, millions of Medicare beneficiaries receive a thick envelope from their Medicare Advantage or Part D carrier. It's called the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC), and it details every modification to their plan for the upcoming year. Most people don't read it. That's a mistake.
Why Plans Change
Medicare Advantage and Part D plans are private insurance products that must be re-approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) each year. Carriers file their proposed rates, benefits, networks, and drug formularies annually — and they can change significantly from one year to the next.
Changes that commonly occur between plan years include:
- Premium increases or decreases
- Changes to the deductible or out-of-pocket maximum
- Network changes: Hospitals and doctors added or removed
- Formulary changes: Drugs added, removed, or moved to a different tier
- Changes to extra benefits: Dental allowances increased or decreased, vision allowances modified, gym memberships added or removed
- Prior authorization requirements expanded or contracted
Your Best Plan Last Year May Not Be Your Best Plan This Year
This is not a hypothetical — it happens regularly. A Medicare Advantage plan with a $0 premium and excellent drug coverage may increase its premium significantly the following year, or may move one of your key medications to a non-preferred tier, doubling your monthly cost. Meanwhile, a competitor may have entered your county with a superior plan.
Loyalty to a Medicare plan is a financial liability if you're not verifying that loyalty is deserved each year.
What to Do Before December 7
- Read your ANOC: When you receive it in late September or October, look for changes to premium, deductible, your specific drugs, and your doctors' network status.
- Review alternatives: Use Medicare's Plan Finder (medicare.gov/plan-compare) or work with a licensed agent to compare available plans in your area.
- Verify your doctors and prescriptions: Confirm that your providers are in-network and your drugs are on the formulary for any plan you're considering.
- Make changes by December 7: Changes made during the Annual Enrollment Period take effect January 1. Miss the deadline and you're locked in for another year.
We Do This For You Every Year
At Insurance Innovators LLC, we proactively reach out to our clients every fall to review their current plan and compare alternatives. We check your doctors, your drugs, and your costs — and we tell you honestly whether to stay or switch. This is a free service that takes about 20–30 minutes and can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars a year.
If you're not already working with us and want a review before December 7, call us now at (530) 395-5309.