What You Need to Know Before Medicare’s Annual Election Period Begins
October is here, and that means Medicare’s Annual Election Period is just around the corner.
But this year, there is something especially important I want every Medicare beneficiary to know:
A number of Medicare Advantage plans will not be available in 2027.
For some beneficiaries, this means the Medicare Advantage plan they have today will not continue into the new year, and they will need to select new coverage for 2027.
So before you automatically assume that everything will remain the same, there is one very important question to ask:
Do you know if your Medicare plan will still be available in 2027?
Have You Read Your Annual Notice of Change?
Every September, Medicare Advantage and Part D insurance carriers are required to send their current members an Annual Notice of Change, commonly called the ANOC.
This letter explains the changes being made to your current coverage for the upcoming year, including changes to your:
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- Premiums and copayments
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- Prescription drug coverage
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- Benefits
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- Provider networks
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- Hospitals and medical groups
And most importantly this year, your Annual Notice of Change will tell you whether your current plan will continue to be available in 2027 or whether it is terminating.
This is one piece of mail you should not put aside without reading.
If your Annual Notice of Change states that your plan will terminate, please save this letter, as it may be needed in connection with applying for new coverage.
And please do not wait until the end of the Annual Election Period to contact us.
We are now accepting appointment requests for the upcoming Medicare Annual Election Period, October 15 – December 7, 2026.
[REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT — OCTOBER 15 – DECEMBER 7]
You may also call or text our office at (424) 272-5074, and we will help you schedule your appointment.
If Your Medicare Advantage Plan Is Ending
If you have been notified that your current plan will not continue into 2027, you need to pay attention and take action.
Do not assume that your current Medicare Advantage coverage will simply continue on January 1.
Please contact us as soon as possible so we have enough time to review the 2027 options available to you, including your physicians, hospitals, medical group, prescriptions, and healthcare needs.
[MY PLAN IS ENDING — I NEED HELP]
Or call or text our office at (424) 272-5074.
What If Your Medicare Plan Is NOT Ending?
Then the conversation may be very different.
If your current Medicare coverage will continue in 2027, you are happy with your plan, and your preferred physicians, hospitals, and medical group will continue to participate with your coverage, you do not need to make a change simply because the Annual Election Period has arrived.
Your coverage will generally renew automatically for 2027.
That is why I do not believe Medicare’s Annual Election Period should be about changing insurance simply for the sake of changing insurance.
The important question is:
Will the coverage you have today still meet your healthcare needs in 2027?
If the answer is yes, wonderful.
If the answer is no—or you simply do not know—that is when it is time to ask questions.
Do You Need Help With Your 2027 Medicare Coverage?
Medicare can already be confusing without trying to decipher insurance notices, provider networks, prescription formularies, medical groups, and changing benefits on your own.
And when a plan is actually leaving the market, understanding what happens next becomes even more important.
If your plan is terminating, something important about your coverage is changing, or you simply need help understanding the information you received, I am here to help.
Since 2014, I have specialized in helping Medicare beneficiaries carefully select and apply for coverage that allows them to establish, remain with, or return to their preferred physicians, hospitals, and medical groups.
Please contact us early.
The Annual Election Period may not officially begin until October 15, but you can contact us now to request your appointment.
[REQUEST MY MEDICARE APPOINTMENT]
You may also call or text our office at:
(424) 272-5074
The Medicare Annual Election Period ends December 7, 2026, and changes made during this period generally become effective January 1, 2027.
A Final Thought
For many Medicare beneficiaries, this Annual Election Period may be very simple.
Your plan may continue. Your doctors and hospitals may remain available. Your coverage may continue to serve you well.
If so, there may be nothing you need to change.
But for others, 2027 will require a decision.
That is why this year, perhaps the most important thing you can do before October 15 is not automatically shop for a different Medicare plan.
It is simply to know the answer to this question:
“Will the Medicare coverage I have today still be there for me in 2027?”
If you are not sure, please ask.
Knowledge today can help prevent surprises on January 1.
