Plain-language guide
How to read your ANOC letter
If you're on a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, your plan sends one letter every fall that tells you exactly what's changing for next year. It's easy to set aside. It's also the single most useful piece of mail you'll get about your coverage.
What the ANOC is
ANOC stands for Annual Notice of Change. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan or a standalone Part D drug plan, your plan has to send you one every year, and it has to arrive by September 30. Source: Medicare.gov, 2026.
It lays out what your plan will look like next year, next to what it looks like now. The whole point is that you read it before the Annual Enrollment Period opens on October 15, while you still have time to do something about anything you don't like.
An ANOC is not a bill and it's not a problem. It's your plan telling you, in advance, what's changing. Getting one is normal. The mistake is not opening it.
The five things to check
Open it with last year's plan in mind and look for five things:
- Your monthly premium. Is the amount you pay the plan going up, down, or staying the same for next year?
- Your deductibles and copays. Check what you pay at the doctor, at the specialist, and in the emergency room. These are the numbers you actually feel during the year.
- Your drugs. This is the big one for a lot of people. Is each of your prescriptions still covered, and is it still in the same cost tier? A drug moving to a higher tier can cost you real money even when the premium didn't change.
- Your doctors and pharmacy. On an Advantage plan, check that your doctors and your pharmacy are still in the network for next year. Networks change.
- Extra benefits. If you signed up partly for dental, vision, hearing, or an over-the-counter allowance, confirm those are still there and still at the same level.
One number worth knowing
Starting in 2025, every Medicare drug plan has a yearly cap on what you pay out of pocket for covered prescriptions. In 2026 that cap is $2,100. Source: Medicare.gov, 2026. Your ANOC won't remove that cap, but reading how your plan's drug costs are structured tells you how fast you might reach it.
What to do with what you find
If nothing important changed, you don't have to do anything. Your plan renews on its own. If something did change and you don't like it, the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 to December 7) is your window to switch. Source: Medicare.gov, 2026.
To compare your options yourself, the official Medicare Plan Finder lets you enter your drugs and see every plan in your area side by side. It's free, and it doesn't sell you anything. Our Annual Enrollment Period game plan lays out the dates and a calm order to work through them in.
Free, official help with your own decision
This guide explains how things work. For decisions about your own coverage, use the official sources. They're free and they don't sell anything.
- Medicare.gov The official government site to compare plans and check coverage yourself.
- SHIP: free local counseling Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program: free, unbiased Medicare help.