Quick answer: The Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) is the document your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan sends each fall, generally by September 30, showing side by side what your plan costs and covers this year (2026) versus next year (2027). Check six things: the premium, the out-of-pocket maximum, your drugs, your pharmacy, your doctors and hospital, and the extra benefits you actually use. If the plan still fits, you don’t have to do anything — it renews automatically January 1. If something important is changing, Annual Enrollment (October 15 – December 7) is your window to compare and switch. Free help is available from Medicare.gov, California’s HICAP program, and an independent licensed broker at no cost to you, because brokers are paid by the insurance carriers.

Every September, a document lands in the mailbox of everyone enrolled in a Medicare Advantage or standalone Part D drug plan: the Annual Notice of Change, or ANOC. The Medicare ANOC you receive in fall 2026 describes the changes to your plan for the 2027 plan year, which starts January 1, 2027; plans are required to send it so it reaches you by September 30. It’s easy to mistake for routine plan mail and set aside. Don’t — it’s the single most useful document for deciding whether to keep your plan or shop during Annual Enrollment, and this is the month it arrives.

Here’s how to read it in about twenty minutes, and what to do with what you find.

What the Medicare ANOC is (and why it matters for 2027)

The Annual Notice of Change is a document your plan is required to send you each fall, generally so you have it by September 30. It lists, side by side, what your plan covers and costs this year (2026) versus what it will cover and cost next year (2027), starting January 1, 2027. Premiums, deductibles, copays, the out-of-pocket maximum, drug coverage, and benefits can all change from one year to the next — even if you do nothing and stay enrolled. For the 2027 Medicare figures published so far, including the $2,400 Part D cap and the $700 drug deductible limit, see 2027 Medicare changes in California.

The ANOC is different from the Evidence of Coverage (EOC), the longer document describing next year’s plan in full detail. The ANOC is the summary of what’s changing; the EOC is the complete rulebook. Start with the ANOC.

If instead of an ANOC you received a letter saying your plan is not renewing at all, that’s a different situation with its own rights and deadlines — see what to do when your Medicare Advantage plan is discontinued.

What to check in your 2027 ANOC: six things

  1. Premium. Is the monthly plan premium changing? Remember a $0 plan premium never means free coverage — the Part B premium, copays, and coinsurance still apply.
  2. Out-of-pocket maximum. Every Medicare Advantage plan sets an annual in-network limit, and plans can raise it year to year. This number is your worst-case exposure — treat it as seriously as the premium.
  3. Your drugs. Check the formulary changes. A drug can move to a higher tier, gain a prior-authorization requirement, or leave the formulary entirely — and the same prescription can cost a different amount on January 1 than it does in December.
  4. Your pharmacy. Preferred pharmacy networks change. If your pharmacy loses preferred status, your copays can rise even when nothing else changes.
  5. Your doctors and hospitals. Networks are set year by year. The ANOC won’t list every provider change, so verify your doctors and hospital for the upcoming plan year using the plan’s directory and a call to the office.
  6. Benefits you actually use. Dental, vision, hearing, transportation, and fitness extras vary widely and change frequently. Check the ones you use, not the ones on the brochure cover.

What to do with what you find

If the changes are minor and the plan still fits — your doctors are in-network, your drugs are covered at reasonable tiers — you don’t have to do anything. Your plan renews automatically on January 1.

If something important is changing, Annual Enrollment (October 15 – December 7) is your window to compare and switch, with new coverage starting January 1, 2027. Our Annual Enrollment 2026 guide walks through the process month by month. For the full process, see my checklist for comparing Medicare Advantage plans. If you’re comparing Medicare Advantage plans in your county, start with the county guides for San Diego, Ventura County, and Riverside County.

If the changes make you question Medicare Advantage itself, some people use this moment to look at Original Medicare with a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy and a standalone Part D plan instead. That path has its own timing and underwriting rules in California — see the Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage comparison and how switching from Medicare Advantage to Medigap works in California. If your plan is reducing benefits or raising costs, California law may also give you a guaranteed-issue path to a Medigap policy — see what the rule covers and its limits.

And if you miss something in the ANOC and January arrives with an unpleasant surprise, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31) allows one switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or back to Original Medicare — but drug plan options are more limited then, so September attention beats January regret.

A simple September routine

  1. Put the ANOC and your current plan’s card on the table.
  2. Highlight every line where next year’s number differs from this year’s.
  3. List your doctors, prescriptions with dosages, and pharmacy.
  4. Check each against next year’s plan — not this year’s.
  5. Decide by early December whether to keep or shop, so a January 1 start is smooth.

Where to get free help in Southern California

Frequently asked questions

What should I check in my 2027 Medicare ANOC?
Check six things: the premium, the out-of-pocket maximum, your drugs, your pharmacy, your doctors and hospital, and the extra benefits you actually use. Compare the 2026 and 2027 columns side by side. If something important changed, you can compare other options during the Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 to December 7.
What does ANOC stand for in Medicare?
ANOC stands for Annual Notice of Change. Medicare Advantage and Part D plans send it to their members each fall, and it describes how the plan’s costs, coverage, and benefits will change for the next year. The ANOC you receive in fall 2026 covers the 2027 plan year.
When does the ANOC arrive?
Plans send it in the fall so you generally have it by September 30, ahead of Annual Enrollment starting October 15.
What should I do if I don’t get my ANOC by the end of September?
Contact your plan using the phone number on your member card and ask for a copy. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE, or California’s HICAP program at 1-800-434-0222, for free counseling on your options before Annual Enrollment begins October 15.
Do I get an ANOC if I have Original Medicare and a Medigap plan?
The ANOC comes from Medicare Advantage and Part D plans. If you have Medigap, your Part D drug plan sends one; Medigap policies themselves are standardized and don’t change benefits annually, though premiums can change.
Do I need to respond to my ANOC?
No. If you do nothing, your plan renews automatically January 1 with the new terms. The ANOC exists so that renewal is an informed choice, not a default.
What’s the difference between the ANOC and the Evidence of Coverage?
The ANOC summarizes what’s changing next year; the Evidence of Coverage is the full description of next year’s plan. Use the ANOC to spot changes, the EOC to confirm details.
What if my ANOC says my plan is ending?
A plan ending is a non-renewal, not a routine change — you have specific rights, including a guaranteed-issue path to Medigap in many cases. See what to do when your plan is discontinued.

Sources & official references

This is a non-government resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare.gov or the federal Medicare program. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) — in California, the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) — to get information on all of your options. Matt Medicares Insurance is an independent insurance brokerage and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or any government agency. Educational information only, not individualized advice. Last reviewed: September 2026. Medicare figures and plan details change annually — confirm current amounts and plan availability at Medicare.gov.