Annual Medicare Review
Re-evaluate coverage when plans, providers, prescriptions, costs, or personal needs change.
Review the coming-year contract
Read the Annual Notice of Change and next-year Evidence of Coverage. Mark changes in premium, deductible, cost sharing, provider network, drug formulary and pharmacy. Each document has a contract identifier and benefit year.
Official source: Medicare: Annual Notice of Change ↗ · Medicare: Evidence of Coverage ↗
Re-run your actual use
Update the drug names, strengths, doses and pharmacies; verify each important doctor and hospital. Medicare Plan Compare estimates local plan costs based on the information entered and is more useful than a national benefit slogan.
Official source: Medicare: Compare plans ↗ · Medicare: Provider network fact sheet ↗
Know the election window
Medicare Open Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7 for next-January plan changes. Current Medicare Advantage enrollees also have a different January 1–March 31 Advantage Open Enrollment opportunity with narrower changes. A Medigap purchase right follows different rules.
Official source: Medicare: Open Enrollment ↗ · Medicare: Advantage enrollment windows ↗ · Medicare: Buying Medigap ↗
Archive the result
Keep both current and upcoming plan documents, application confirmation and coverage effective dates. If you do not change a renewing plan, its terms may still change in the new year.
Official source: Medicare: Yearly review ↗ · Medicare: Annual Notice of Change ↗