Medicare Annual Notice of Change (ANOC): What It Means and What to Do
If you have a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, your plan mails you an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) by late September, around September 30. It is not a bill. It describes what is changing about your plan for the coming year. In most cases your plan is not ending, it is just changing, and you have a window this fall to stay or switch. Here is how to read it and decide.
Free. We explain your notice in plain language. CareRoute is independent, does not sell insurance, and takes no commissions.
What the ANOC is
The Annual Notice of Change is a yearly document your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan is required to send you by late September. It compares your current coverage to what the plan will look like next year, so you can see the differences before the fall enrollment window. Your plan may also include an Evidence of Coverage, which is the full detail behind the summary.
The changes to watch for
Put this year and next year side by side and look at the items that affect your budget and your care:
- Your monthly premium.
- Your medical deductible.
- Your primary care and specialist copays.
- Your annual out-of-pocket maximum.
- Your Part D drug deductible.
- Which drugs are covered and at what tier, since a drug moving to a higher tier can raise what you pay.
- Provider network changes, meaning whether your doctors and hospitals are still in network.
The reason each of these matters is different from household to household. A higher specialist copay may not matter much if you rarely see one, but a drug moving tiers, or a doctor dropping out of network, can change your year completely.
Your plan is usually not ending
Getting an ANOC does not mean you are losing coverage. In most cases the plan continues and the notice simply tells you how it is changing. If your plan is genuinely ending or leaving your area, that arrives as a different notice, not an ANOC, and you get extra protection:
- A Special Enrollment Period from December 8 to the end of February to choose a new plan.
- Possible Medigap guaranteed-issue rights, which can let you buy a Medigap policy without medical underwriting.
How to decide, and when you can act
Read the ANOC as soon as it arrives so you have time before the enrollment window. If the changes work for you, you do not have to do anything and your plan renews. If they do not, here is when you can make a change:
Annual Election Period: October 15 to December 7
This is the main window to switch plans if the ANOC changes do not work for you. Any change you make takes effect January 1.
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period: January 1 to March 31
A second chance for Medicare Advantage members to switch once, or to return to Original Medicare with a Part D plan.
Not sure what your notice means?
Upload your ANOC to our free Medicare Letter Check tool and we will explain, in plain language, what is changing on your plan and what it means for you. We do not recommend a specific plan or insurer. If you want help comparing which plan fits your own doctors and medications, Decision Support walks you through it.
Upload your ANOCFree. CareRoute is independent and takes no commissions.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC)?
The ANOC is a document your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan mails you by late September (around September 30) each year. It describes what is changing about your plan for the coming year, such as the premium, deductible, copays, out-of-pocket maximum, provider network, and drug coverage. It is not a bill.
Does an ANOC mean my plan is ending?
Usually not. In most cases your plan continues and the ANOC just tells you how it is changing for next year. If your plan is actually ending or leaving your area, that comes as a different notice, and you would get a Special Enrollment Period (December 8 to the end of February) and possible Medigap guaranteed-issue rights.
What should I look for in my ANOC?
Compare this year to next year on the things that affect you: the monthly premium, the medical deductible, primary care and specialist copays, the annual out-of-pocket maximum, the Part D drug deductible, which of your drugs are covered and at what tier, and whether your doctors and hospitals are still in the network.
When can I switch plans if the changes do not work for me?
The Annual Election Period runs from October 15 to December 7, and any change you make takes effect January 1. If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, you also get the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 to March 31, when you can switch once or return to Original Medicare with a Part D plan.
My plan is leaving my area. What are my options?
If your plan is ending or leaving your service area, you get a Special Enrollment Period that runs from December 8 to the end of February to pick a new plan, and you may have Medigap guaranteed-issue rights. This is separate from a normal ANOC where the plan continues.
Should I switch plans, or stay?
It depends on whether the changes affect your doctors, your drugs, and your budget. CareRoute does not recommend a specific plan or insurer. If you want to understand what your notice means, upload it to our free tool. If you want help comparing which plan fits your own doctors and medications, our Decision Support page walks you through it.
Related
This is general information, not insurance advice, and not a recommendation of any plan or insurer. CareRoute is independent, does not sell insurance, and takes no commissions. Medicare rules, dates, and plan details can change. Confirm the specifics of your plan with your plan or with Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Last updated: September 2026.