How to Read Your 2027 Medicare Annual Notice of Change (ANOC)

Your Medicare Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) is a yearly letter from your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan that lists the changes to your premium, deductibles, copays, drug list and network for the upcoming year. Plans should send it by September 30, and the changes take effect January 1, 2027. If you want to switch because of what you read, you have until December 7, the last day of Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period (AEP).

If you don’t do anything, you will stay in your current plan with the new terms applied, so always advise our clients to schedule a medicare review with their agent so we can review those options together.

The ANOC is a summary of changes. The full rulebook is your Evidence of Coverage (EOC), which some plans mail with the ANOC and others post online.

You get an ANOC if you have a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C) or a stand-alone Part D drug plan. Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policies don't send one, because their benefits are standardized.

A plan that is leaving your area sends a non-renewal notice instead. Elevance Health is exiting South Carolina Medicare Advantage for 2027, according to Becker's Payer, so some members received that letter instead. If that's you, read our guide to Elevance (Wellpoint) leaving SC Medicare Advantage, because your deadlines are different.

Plans format the letter differently, but most cover these sections.

1. Summary of important costs

Most ANOCs open with a this-year-versus-next-year table. Circle anything that went up, and pay closest attention to the maximum out-of-pocket limit. For 2027, the federal in-network MOOP limit for Medicare Advantage is $9,850. Plans can set lower limits, and many do. In MoneyGeek's analysis of CMS 2027 data, South Carolina plans range from $5,900 to $9,850, with a median of $9,250. If your plan's limit moved up toward the cap, a bad health year would cost you more.

2. Changes to medical benefits

Look at the copays you actually use. If you see a cardiologist every quarter, the specialist copay matters more than urgent care. Also check inpatient per-day costs and skilled nursing costs.

Look for new prior authorization requirements too. Medicare.gov notes that starting January 1, 2027, Medicare Advantage plans may be able to process prior authorization requests electronically, and you may see decisions in your patient portal. That can speed things up, but it doesn't remove the requirement itself.

3. Changes to drug coverage

This is where we find the most surprises. For each prescription you take, check three things:

• Is it still on the drug list (formulary)?
• Is it in the same tier? A move from Tier 3 to Tier 4 can mean a flat copay turns into a percentage of the drug's cost.
• Are there new rules? Prior authorization, step therapy (trying a cheaper drug first) or quantity limits.

The Part D benefit itself changes for 2027, too. The standard deductible can be as high as $700, up from $615, and the annual out-of-pocket cap on covered drugs rises to $2,400, up from $2,100. Insulin stays capped at $35 for a one-month supply of each covered insulin product, with no deductible. Our 2027 Part D changes guide walks through those numbers.

If a drug you rely on was dropped, ask your doctor whether a covered alternative works, or whether to request a formulary exception from the plan. Then compare other plans before December 7.

4. Changes to the provider and pharmacy network

The ANOC may say only that the network "may change." Don't take that as a no. Look up each doctor, specialist, hospital and pharmacy in the plan's 2027 directory, or call the office and ask, "Will you be in network with this plan on January 1?"

For Midlands clients, that usually means checking practices tied to Prisma Health, Lexington Medical Center or MUSC Health, plus your regular pharmacy. Preferred pharmacy status can change even when the pharmacy stays in network, and that changes your copay.

5. Extra benefits

Plans adjust dental, vision and hearing allowances, over-the-counter cards and rides every year. If a dental allowance shrank and you need a crown, factor that in.

You don't need to switch just because something changed. We suggest a closer look if your ANOC shows any of these:

1. A drug you take was removed, moved to a higher tier or given prior authorization.
2. A doctor, hospital or pharmacy you use is leaving the network.
3. Your MOOP went up by a meaningful amount.
4. A $0-premium plan now charges a premium, or your premium jumped.
5. A new medical deductible was added.
6. A supplemental benefit you used was cut.

About 89% of South Carolina Medicare Advantage plans charge a $0 premium for 2027, according to MoneyGeek's analysis of CMS data. When premiums are the same, the differences show up in copays, drug tiers, networks and the out-of-pocket limit, all of which the ANOC lists.

If everything still fits: You don't need to do anything. You'll stay enrolled and the changes start January 1.

If something doesn't fit: Compare 2027 plans before December 7. You can switch Medicare Advantage plans, switch Part D plans, or move from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare. If you're weighing that last option, read our Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap comparison first, because Medigap usually involves health questions after your first enrollment window.

If you miss December 7: If you're in a Medicare Advantage plan, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 through March 31. You can switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or go back to Original Medicare during that window. It doesn't help people on Original Medicare who want a new Part D plan, so don't wait.

Before we meet, we'll ask you to complete a short Scope of Appointment form, a Medicare requirement that records which plan types you want to discuss. Our help costs you nothing because the carriers pay us.

For the full AEP picture, see our Medicare Annual Enrollment 2027 guide for South Carolina.