Medicare Annual Notice of Change (ANOC): How to Read It and What to Do
Your Medicare plan mails an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) each September. Learn what the ANOC shows, how to read it, and what to do before Open Enrollment ends.
Your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan mails an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) every September. It spells out exactly how your plan will change on January 1. Reading it is the single most useful thing you can do before the Annual Enrollment Period, because a plan that fits you this year can look very different next year. Here is what the ANOC shows and what to do with it.
What is the Annual Notice of Change?
The ANOC is a document your plan is required to send by September 30 each year, ahead of the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 to December 7). It compares your current coverage with what the plan will offer next year, so you can decide whether to keep it or switch. It usually arrives with the Evidence of Coverage (EOC), a longer document with the full plan rules.
What the ANOC tells you
Focus on these sections, and compare each one against what you have now:
| What changed | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Monthly premium | A higher premium raises your fixed monthly cost, even on a "$0 premium" plan that adds one. |
| Deductible | Changes how much you pay before the plan starts covering costs. |
| Copays and coinsurance | What you pay per visit, service, or prescription can rise or fall. |
| Drug formulary | Your plan can drop a drug, move it to a higher tier, or add restrictions. Check every medication. |
| Pharmacy network | Your pharmacy can lose "preferred" status, which raises your copays. |
| Provider network | Doctors and hospitals can join or leave the network, especially on HMO and PPO plans. |
| Extra benefits | Dental, vision, hearing, over-the-counter, and flex-card allowances change every year. |
| Out-of-pocket maximum | The most you would pay in a bad year. A higher cap means more risk. |
How to read your ANOC
Do not just skim the first page. Go line by line and mark anything that went up or changed:
- Your prescriptions: confirm each drug is still covered and at the same tier.
- Your doctors and pharmacy: make sure they are still in network and still preferred.
- Your costs: compare the new premium, deductible, and copays to what you pay today.
- Your extra benefits: see whether the dental, vision, hearing, or flex card benefits shrank.
For a full walkthrough, use our Medicare Open Enrollment checklist.
What to do after reading it
- If the plan still fits, you do not have to do anything. It renews automatically on January 1 with the changes listed.
- If something important got worse, use the Annual Enrollment Period to switch to a better plan before December 7. You can also compare quality using the star ratings.
The people who end up overpaying are usually the ones who set the ANOC aside and let the plan auto-renew. A few minutes of reading can save real money, and it is the reason plans change year to year in the first place (here is why).
Common questions about the ANOC
When does the Annual Notice of Change come out?
Plans must send the ANOC by September 30 each year, so it reaches you before the Annual Enrollment Period opens on October 15.
What is the difference between the ANOC and the Evidence of Coverage?
The ANOC summarizes what is changing for next year. The Evidence of Coverage (EOC) is the longer document that spells out all of your plan's rules, costs, and covered services in full.
What should I do with my ANOC?
Read it, compare each change to your current coverage, and check that your drugs, doctors, and pharmacy are still covered. If the plan no longer fits, switch during Open Enrollment.
What happens if I do nothing after the ANOC?
Your plan renews automatically for the new year with the changes it described. If your plan is being discontinued and you do nothing, you could lose that coverage and return to Original Medicare without a drug plan.
I did not get an ANOC. What should I do?
Contact your plan directly, they are required to send it. You can also review your plan's next-year details at Medicare.gov or with a licensed advocate.
Want a second set of eyes on your ANOC? A licensed Medicare Advocate will read through the changes with you and compare your plan against the other options in your area, at no cost. Give us a call before December 7.