One thing that many new enrollees may not know about Medicare is the option to review their coverage in the fall of each year and make changes to their plan during the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7). It’s important to make a note of this because if any changes are made to your plan for the upcoming year, you will be notified by your plan by receiving an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) or Evidence of Coverage (EOC) sometime in September.
You will then be able to review these changes and decide if you want to keep your current plan or not.
About the Annual Notice of Change
The Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) will detail any changes in service areas, coverage, or costs that will begin in January of the upcoming year.
When you get this notice, it will be important that you review the changes carefully and understand what they are and how they will impact you. After reviewing the changes, it will ultimately be up to you if you will be fine with the changes made. If you are, you can go ahead and keep your current plan! If not, you can use the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period as an opportunity to switch to a different plan that provides you with what you need.
About the Evidence of Coverage
The Evidence of Coverage (EOC) will also be sent to you by your plan and will go over what your plan covers, what you will pay, and other important information.
You will want to review this document because it outlines changes that are coming soon, and if you’re not satisfied with them, there’s always time during the Annual Enrollment Period for you to switch to a different plan.
However, keep in mind that you don’t have to feel obligated to switch or drop plans during the Annual Enrollment Period if you don’t want to. If you have reviewed both of these notices and the changes that will be made but feel as if you would still be satisfied with your current plan, you can certainly keep your plan and not use the enrollment period.
Reach Out to Us Today
At Turning 65 Solutions, we are a team of insurance experts devoted to helping our clients choose the best Medicare plan for their budget and healthcare needs.
We have dedicated our service to the families we help by acting as an advocate. Our team provides unbiased, educational consultations that allow you to make the best, informed decision possible. If you want to learn more about the Annual Enrollment Period and reviewing your coverage each year, make sure to give us a call today!