Got a Letter About Your Medicare Plan? Here’s What to Do Before Dec 7
Every fall, Medicare Advantage and drug plans mail notices about the year ahead. If your plan is ending, or your costs, doctors, or drug coverage are changing for 2027, you have options, and some of them have deadlines. Tory Blain, a licensed Medicare agent in St. George, can go over your letter with you at no cost.
Get Help With Your Plan Letter
- Doctors in network
- Drug coverage
- 2027 costs
Two Kinds of Letters, Two Different Situations
An Annual Notice of Change means your plan is continuing with changes. A non-renewal notice means your plan is ending on December 31. Either one is a good reason to review your coverage before December 7.
Annual Notice of Change
Your plan continues in 2027, but premiums, copays, the drug list, or the doctor network may change. If you do nothing, you stay in the plan under the new terms on January 1.
Plan non-renewal notice
Your plan is leaving Medicare or your area on December 31. You can pick a new plan during Annual Enrollment, and you also get a Special Enrollment Period from December 8 through the last day of February.
If your plan ends and you do nothing
You move to Original Medicare on January 1. Original Medicare does not include drug coverage, so you would need to choose a Part D plan to keep prescription coverage.
Your Deadlines for 2027 Coverage
Annual Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, and changes start January 1. If your plan is ending, you have extra time through the end of February, but choosing by December 7 avoids a gap.
October 15 – December 7
Annual Enrollment. Switch Medicare Advantage or Part D plans, or return to Original Medicare. Your new coverage starts January 1.
December 8 – end of February
Special Enrollment Period if your plan is not renewing. Coverage starts the first of the month after you enroll.
Up to 63 days after coverage ends
If your Medicare Advantage plan ends and you go back to Original Medicare, you may have a guaranteed right to buy certain Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policies without health questions.
What to Check in Your 2027 Plan Letter
- Is your plan continuing or ending? Look for the words “Annual Notice of Change” or a notice that your plan is not renewing.
- Are your doctors and hospitals still in network? Networks can change from year to year, especially for specialists.
- Are your prescriptions still covered? Check whether any drug moved to a higher tier, needs prior authorization, or was dropped.
- Did your costs go up? Compare the 2027 premium, deductible, copays, and out-of-pocket maximum to this year.
- Did your extra benefits change? Dental, vision, hearing, over-the-counter allowances, and Part B giveback amounts often change.
2027 Plan Letters: Common Questions
Got Your Letter? Let’s Go Over It Together
Call, text, or fill out the form above. Have your plan letter, your Medicare card, and your list of doctors and prescriptions handy.