Medicare Annual Notice of Change: What to Review Before Choosing 2027 Coverage

Your Medicare plan can change its costs, drug coverage, provider network, and extra benefits from one year to the next. The Medicare Annual Notice of Change, often called the ANOC, is the plan’s summary of what will be different in 2027—and it is the best place to start before deciding whether to keep or change coverage.

Plans send the ANOC each fall, generally in September. Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15 through December 7, and changes made during that period take effect January 1. The Medicare Plan Compare tool now shows 2027 options, so you can compare your notice with plans available where you live.

What is a Medicare Annual Notice of Change?

The ANOC is a plan-specific summary of changes that will take effect January 1. Medicare says it may include changes to coverage, costs, service area, and other plan rules. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan or a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan, read the notice even if you have been satisfied with your coverage. You can review Medicare’s official explanation of the ANOC for more detail.

The ANOC is not the same as the Evidence of Coverage, or EOC. The ANOC highlights what is changing next year. The EOC is the fuller plan document that explains how the plan works, what it covers, and what you pay. Reading the ANOC first helps you identify which EOC sections deserve a closer look.

Seven parts of your 2027 notice to review

1. Monthly premium and other costs

Look beyond the monthly plan premium. Check the medical deductible, drug deductible, copays, coinsurance, and the in-network maximum out-of-pocket amount for Medicare Advantage coverage. A plan with a low premium may still cost more overall if the services or medicines you use have higher cost sharing.

Write down the 2026 amount and the 2027 amount side by side. That simple comparison is easier to evaluate than reading each number in isolation.

2. Doctors, hospitals, and other providers

A Medicare Advantage plan’s network can matter as much as its premium. Confirm that your doctors, specialists, preferred hospital, therapy provider, and durable medical equipment supplier are expected to participate in 2027. Provider directories can change, so verify directly with both the plan and the provider. If you are reviewing this coverage path, the Forest Brook Financial Medicare Advantage overview explains the basic structure and tradeoffs.

3. Prescription drugs

Review every medicine you take, including the exact name, dosage, quantity, and how often you refill it. Check whether each drug remains on the formulary, whether its tier changed, and whether the plan added prior authorization, step therapy, or quantity limits.

Do not assume that a medicine covered in 2026 will have the same price or rules in 2027. For a plain-English refresher, see How Medicare Part D Works in 2026. Then use Plan Compare with your current drug list for the new plan year.

4. Preferred pharmacies and mail order

A pharmacy can remain in a plan’s network without keeping the same preferred pricing. Compare your regular pharmacy, another convenient local pharmacy, and mail order if you are comfortable using it. Medicare Plan Compare can estimate yearly drug costs based on the medicines and pharmacies you enter, which is often more useful than comparing premiums alone.

5. Prior authorization and referrals

Check whether the plan is adding or changing prior authorization rules for services you are likely to use. Also review referral requirements if you see specialists. These rules do not automatically make a plan unsuitable, but they can affect timing and paperwork. The guide to Medicare Advantage prior authorization in 2026 explains what to ask before care is scheduled.

6. Dental, vision, hearing, transportation, and other extras

Extra benefits may change their allowance, provider network, frequency limit, vendor, or covered services. A benefit listed as “included” is not enough information. Check how much is available, what counts as eligible, where you can use it, and whether unused amounts carry over. Compare the benefit with what you realistically expect to use.

7. Your overall coverage path

An ANOC can prompt a broader question: does your current type of coverage still fit? Medicare Advantage combines Part A and Part B coverage through a private plan, usually with a provider network and a yearly out-of-pocket limit for covered Part A and Part B services. Original Medicare with a Medicare Supplement policy works differently and usually requires separate Part D drug coverage.

Switching from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare does not guarantee that you can buy any Medigap policy you want. Outside certain guaranteed-issue situations, medical underwriting may apply under Maryland rules and the insurer’s requirements. Before making a change, compare the practical differences in Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap in Maryland and confirm any Medigap eligibility before ending existing coverage.

What if the notice is missing—or the plan is ending?

If you did not receive an ANOC, contact the plan and request a copy. Also confirm that the plan has your current mailing address. Many plans make the document available through a member portal, but you should not have to guess which changes apply to you.

A Plan Non-Renewal Notice is different. Medicare says this notice is sent in October when a plan is leaving the Medicare program for the next year. If you receive one, you will need to choose new coverage. Read Medicare’s Plan Non-Renewal Notice guidance and follow the dates and instructions in your letter.

A 15-minute Medicare ANOC checklist

Set aside your ANOC, medication list, provider list, and preferred pharmacy. Then work through these steps:

• Circle every 2027 change. Mark premiums, deductibles, copays, coinsurance, benefit limits, and service-area changes.

• List the care you actually use. Include doctors, facilities, medicines, medical equipment, therapies, and extra benefits that matter to you.

• Confirm the network. Check providers and pharmacies with both the plan and the provider or pharmacy.

• Compare total yearly cost. Consider premiums plus expected medical and prescription costs, not the premium by itself.

• Check restrictions. Note prior authorization, referrals, step therapy, quantity limits, and mail-order requirements.

• Save your comparison. Keep the ANOC and any Plan Compare results so you can refer back to the details before enrolling.

If the changes are acceptable, you may not need to switch. If something important no longer fits, compare alternatives during Medicare Open Enrollment from October 15 through December 7. A new plan generally begins January 1 when the enrollment request is received by December 7.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to change plans after receiving an ANOC?

No. The ANOC is a disclosure of next year’s changes, not a requirement to switch. If your current plan still fits after you review the new costs, coverage, network, and drug rules, you can usually remain enrolled without taking action.

Is the plan with the lowest premium the least expensive?

Not necessarily. Your yearly cost can also include deductibles, copays, coinsurance, drug prices, out-of-network charges, and services that are not covered. Compare the care and prescriptions you expect to use.

Does the ANOC confirm that my doctor and medicines are covered?

It can identify important changes, but verify the details. Check the plan’s current 2027 provider directory and formulary, then confirm provider participation directly. Formularies and networks can change under plan rules during the year, so keep records of what you checked.

Can I switch plans during Medicare Open Enrollment?

Generally, people with Medicare can join, switch, or drop Medicare Advantage and Part D plans from October 15 through December 7. Other enrollment rules and special enrollment periods may apply to individual situations.

Use the notice before choosing 2027 coverage

The ANOC is most useful when you turn it into a short list of changes that affect your own doctors, prescriptions, budget, and travel needs. Bring that list to any comparison conversation so the discussion stays focused on what matters to you.

If you would like help comparing Medicare plan details, Forest Brook Financial can walk through the options available to you without pressure. Forest Brook Financial is not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency. Forest Brook Financial does not offer every plan available in every area. Plan availability, premiums, benefits, formularies, networks, and cost sharing vary by plan, service area, and year. For a complete list of choices, visit Medicare.gov, call 1-800-MEDICARE, or contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program.