Your ANOC Letter: What the Annual Notice of Change Means Before AEP

MEDICARE MONDAY Episode 17 | August 31st, 2026

Presenter:

Holden Houston | District Manager at American Republic Insurance Services

In Episode 17 of Medicare Monday, Holden Houston from American Republic Insurance Services sits down to explain the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) — the packet that shows up in the quiet stretch before Annual Enrollment.

Holden's definition is simple. If you are on a Medicare Advantage plan or a Part D prescription drug plan, the plan sends an ANOC before September 30 every year. That letter lists what is changing on your current plan for next year.

The big mistake:

Assuming you can ignore it because you like this year's coverage.

Plans change.

Doctors and prescriptions that worked this year may not look the same next year, so read your ANOC and confirm both.

If the letter shows a drug dropping off or a premium going up, don't panic.

Keep the ANOC, write down your medications and doctors, and review options with an independent broker to schedule your 2027 plan-and-change review.

Check out Episode 17 now for a plain-language walkthrough of the ANOC, why it arrives before AEP, and what to do if next year's plan looks different.

If you're in Central Illinois & would like to schedule your yearly plan review - Contact Us Today!