It’s almost that time of year when start to receive your ANOC letters in the mail! You may be wondering – what’s an ANOC letter? David Russell, the regional sales director here at Empower Brokerage, explains what ANOC is, what the letter means, and why it’s important to clients.
If you’re enrolled in a Medicare plan, then it will send you a plan annual notice of change (ANOC) in the mail each fall, which is usually when you can expect to receive these notifications. Now, the annual notice of change is known as an ANOC letter, and this is going to include any changes to your coverage, costs, or services that will affect your January effective dates. So again, you should get this in the fall. I would look for it around September to the first part of October because that’s when they like to send it out so that way you can be aware of those changes and prepare for the upcoming Annual Election Period (AEP).
You should be expecting the ANOC letter from the carrier so you’re not going to get it from your agent. You’re not going to get it from Medicare, i.e. the government. Be on the lookout for it from your carrier. Your plan will send it to you. If, however, you don’t get this important document via mail, then you should definitely contact your insurance company.
Now when you do receive the ANOC letter, you need to act fast and review your plan changes, if any. You need to decide whether or not this plan will continue to meet your needs for the following year. That’s why this letter is important; it motivates you to review your needs and ask the necessary questions of your healthcare. Moreover, the plan may not be available in your service area. 10-15% of plans go away. That’s why you shouldn’t delay. If the plan no longer meets your needs or is no longer available, then you need to reach out to your agent so they can help you find a new plan during AEP. And since you get the letter only a few weeks before the opening of AEP, you shouldn’t procrastinate.
Once you receive your ANOC letter in the mail, make sure to contact your agent to discuss the changes and see if the plan you’re on now suits your needs. Don’t go a year without proper coverage!
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