Got Your 2027 Annual Notice of Change? What to Do Next
Your plan mailed a 2027 Annual Notice of Change by September 30. It lists every change that starts January 1. Here is how to read it in 20 minutes and what to do before December 7.
Key takeaways
- The Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) is the letter your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan mails by September 30. It lists what changes on January 1, 2027.
- It is worth reading this year: in Maricopa County, 20 of the 44 Medicare Advantage plans offered in both 2026 and 2027 raised their in-network out-of-pocket maximum.
- Check five things: premium, deductible, out-of-pocket maximum, your drugs (tier and coverage) and your doctors. Then the extras you actually use.
- A non-renewal letter is different. It means your plan is ending, and it comes with its own Special Enrollment Period.
- If you do nothing, most plans renew automatically. You can change plans during Annual Enrollment, October 15 to December 7, 2026.
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If a thick envelope from your Medicare plan arrived in late September, that was your Annual Notice of Change. Read it before December 7. It is the one document that tells you, in your own plan's words, what will be different about your coverage on January 1, 2027.
Most people set it aside because nothing looks urgent. The plan name is the same, the premium may still be $0, and the card in your wallet still works. But the ANOC is where carriers disclose the quieter changes: a higher out-of-pocket maximum, a drug moved to a higher tier, a smaller dental allowance, a specialist who left the network.
Here is how to read it quickly, what each part means, how it differs from a non-renewal letter, and what your options are if you do not like what you see. We speak insurance, so you don't have to.
What is the Annual Notice of Change?
The Annual Notice of Change is a letter every Medicare Advantage and Part D plan must send its members by September 30 each year. It compares this year's benefits to next year's, line by line, so you can decide whether to stay or switch during Annual Enrollment.
It usually arrives as a booklet, sometimes alongside the plan's Evidence of Coverage, which is the longer legal description of the plan. The ANOC is the part to read first. The first few pages normally hold a summary table of costs; later pages cover drugs, networks and extra benefits.
| Annual Notice of Change | Non-renewal letter | |
|---|---|---|
| What it means | Your plan continues in 2027, with changes | Your plan will not be offered in 2027 |
| When it arrives | By September 30 | In October |
| If you do nothing | You stay in the plan with the 2027 changes | You move to Original Medicare on January 1 |
| Time to choose | Annual Enrollment, Oct 15 to Dec 7 | Annual Enrollment plus a Special Enrollment Period listed in the letter |
Why should Arizona members read it this year?
Because the out-of-pocket maximum, the most you pay in a year for covered in-network care, went up on a large share of plans. In Maricopa County, the CMS plan files show 20 of the 44 Medicare Advantage plans offered in both years raised their maximum for 2027. Only 1 lowered it.
- renewing Maricopa County plans raised their out-of-pocket maximum
- 20 of 44
- average in-network maximum, 2026
- $4,560
- average in-network maximum, 2027
- $4,896
- highest in-network maximum, 2027
- $8,900
The plan line-up shifted too. 8 plan IDs in the 2026 Maricopa County file are not in the 2027 file, and 8 new IDs appeared. If yours is one of them, your letter tells you whether it merged into another plan or is not renewing. We broke down the county numbers in 2027 Medicare Advantage changes in Maricopa County.
None of this means your plan got worse for you. A higher maximum matters most to people who expect a hospital stay, surgery or ongoing treatment. A change in drug tier matters most to people who take that drug. That is why reading your own letter beats reading a headline.
What should I look for first?
Look at five lines first: monthly premium, medical deductible, in-network out-of-pocket maximum, drug coverage for each of your prescriptions, and whether your doctors are still in network. Those five decide most of what 2027 will cost you.
| Check | Where to find it | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium | Summary table, first pages | You still pay the Part B premium on top ($202.90 a month in 2026) |
| Medical deductible | Summary table | What you pay before the plan starts sharing costs |
| Out-of-pocket maximum | Summary table | Your worst-case cost for covered in-network care |
| Hospital and specialist copays | Medical benefits section | Inpatient copays are often charged per day |
| Each prescription | Drug coverage section and 2027 drug list | A drug can move tiers, gain prior authorization or leave the list |
| Doctors and hospitals | Provider directory (not in the letter) | Networks change; check each doctor by name |
| Extras you use | Additional benefits section | Dental, vision, hearing and over-the-counter allowances reset each year |
On prescriptions: the yearly cap on Part D out-of-pocket drug costs is $2,100 in 2026, and the CMS 2027 plan files list $2,400 for 2027. The cap protects you, but how fast you reach it depends on your plan's tiers and deductible, so a drug moving from tier 3 to tier 4 can still change your monthly costs.
How do I check my doctors and drugs for 2027?
Use the plan's 2027 provider directory and 2027 drug list, not the ones from this year. Carriers post next year's versions in the fall, and they are the only ones that tell you what will happen on January 1.
- Make a list. Every doctor you saw this year, your preferred hospital, and every prescription with the dose.
- Search each doctor by name in the 2027 directory, and confirm with the office if you can. Ask whether they will be in network for your plan next year, using the plan's exact name.
- Look up each drug in the 2027 formulary. Note the tier and any prior authorization, step therapy or quantity limit.
- Check your pharmacy. Preferred pharmacies can mean lower copays.
- Write down anything that changed. That short list is what you compare against other plans.
Our guide on how to check doctors and drugs walks through this step by step. If you would rather have someone do it with you, that is a normal part of an annual review at our Chandler office.
What are my options if I do not like the changes?
You can switch to another Medicare Advantage plan, move to Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D plan, or stay where you are. Changes made during Annual Enrollment, October 15 to December 7, 2026, start January 1, 2027.
Stay or switch Medicare Advantage
- Compare plans for your ZIP code, doctors and drugs
- Enrolling in a new plan ends the old one automatically
- One more change allowed January 1 to March 31 if you are in a Medicare Advantage plan
Move to Original Medicare
- Add a stand-alone Part D plan if you want drug coverage
- A Medicare Supplement may require health questions in Arizona after your first eligibility window
- See our post on Medigap switching rules in Arizona first
Prefer a group setting first? Viola runs free Medicare workshops online and in Chandler; see the workshop schedule and the events calendar. Official CMS videos and forms are on our resources page, and the Medicare & You 2027 handbook covers the rules for every enrollment period.
The bottom line
Your 2027 Annual Notice of Change is the shortest path to knowing what January will cost you. Read the five key lines, check every doctor and drug against the 2027 lists, and compare before December 7. In Maricopa County, 20 of 44 renewing plans raised their out-of-pocket maximum, so assume something changed until the letter proves otherwise.
Frequently asked questions
When is the 2027 Annual Notice of Change mailed?
Medicare Advantage and Part D plans must send it to members by September 30, 2026. If you did not receive yours, call the member services number on your plan card and ask for it, or look in your online member account.
What happens if I ignore my Annual Notice of Change?
In most cases your plan renews automatically on January 1, 2027, with all the changes in the letter. If you received a non-renewal letter instead, doing nothing moves you to Original Medicare.
Is the Annual Notice of Change the same as the Evidence of Coverage?
No. The Annual Notice of Change summarizes what is changing. The Evidence of Coverage is the full legal description of the plan. Read the ANOC first, then look things up in the Evidence of Coverage if you need detail.
Can I change plans after December 7?
If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make one change between January 1 and March 31. Other changes require a Special Enrollment Period, for example after a move or if your plan is not renewing.
Sources
- CMS Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape, Contract Year 2027 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- CMS Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape, Contract Year 2026 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- Medicare & You 2027 handbook Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Please note: We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.Rise Up Benefits Group is not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program. Medicare has neither endorsed nor reviewed this information. This article is general information, not medical, tax or legal advice.
