What is the Annual Notice of Change?
An Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) is an official notice sent by Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans to their members in late September. The notice provides a summary of the changes to coverages and costs in the upcoming year.1Medicare.gov, “Plan Annual Notice of Change“, Accessed September 14, 2021
Key Takeaways
- An Annual Notice of Change notifies a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan member of changes to their coverages and costs.
- Plan members receive an ANOC every September before the new year’s changes happen.
- The new changes go into effect when the plan renews at the start of the year.
Do Medicare Plans Change Each Year?
Changes to a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D plan will be noted in the ANOC. The ANOC will tell beneficiaries what areas and services are still covered by their plan, as well as the costs1Medicare.gov, “Plan Annual Notice of Change“, Accessed September 14, 2021. The costs are deductibles, copayments, and the monthly premiums2Medicare.gov, “Medicare costs at a glance“, Accessed September 14, 2021.
Do Medicare Plans Renew Automatically Each Year?
Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans automatically renew until their beneficiary cancel or switch plans1Medicare.gov, “Plan Annual Notice of Change“, Accessed September 14, 2021. A beneficiary may encounter a situation where their Medicare plan cannot be renewed, such as moving to a new service area or if their plan is no longer available. If this happens they can request a Special Enrollment Period (SEP)3Medicare.gov, “Special circumstances“, Accessed September 14, 2021.
Citations
- 1Medicare.gov, “Plan Annual Notice of Change“, Accessed September 14, 2021
- 2Medicare.gov, “Medicare costs at a glance“, Accessed September 14, 2021
- 3Medicare.gov, “Special circumstances“, Accessed September 14, 2021