UNITED STATES—Toni: Currently, I am on a stand-alone Part D plan with a Medicare Supplement plan G, and I have not received information from my current Part D plan for 2027. Today is Sept. 18, and I usually receive the changes to my Part D plan by now. What should I do if the information doesn’t arrive?
I know that Open Enrollment starts Oct. 15, and I need to find the correct Medicare Part D plan to enroll in. Toni, please explain in easy-to-understand terms what I need to do —Cheryl from Cypress, Texas.
Cheryl: Medicare Advantage (Part C) and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans send out an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) that should arrive by mail (or email if that is how you receive your insurance plan information) no later than Sept. 30 every fall. The ANOC will give a side-by-side comparison of your plan’s 2026 cost and what the 2027 plan’s cost will be.
Cheryl, I also have a Part D plan with a Medicare Supplement plan G, and as of Sept. 20, I have not received my ANOC from my stand-alone Part D plan either. If I do not receive it by Sept. 30, then I will call the specific Part D plan and have the insurance company email it to me.
My own medicare.gov account may also have the information that I will need to know what next year’s plan will be like.
Medicare will release what the 2027 Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D changes will be by Oct. 1 on the medicare.gov website. Cheryl, this will give you enough time, once the Medicare Plans are released, to research whether you should change your Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan or stay with the one you currently have, which might be your best option. Remember, Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period (OEP) begins Thursday, Oct. 15 and ends Monday Dec. 7.
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is asking America to: 1) Watch your mail for your ANOC from your current stand-alone Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan. Do not throw it away! 2) View your renewal from your plan, especially if it is an autorenewal. 3) Compare plans during Medicare’s OEP to decide whether to change to a different stand-alone Part D plan or a Medicare Advantage plan.
After Oct. 1, when the Medicare Part D plan information has been finalized for 2027, then I will write an article with the specifics of Medicare’s plan for the year beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
In the meantime, here are some Toni Says tips to help you find a Part D plan and save on your prescription drugs:
— Visit www.medicare.gov to view 2027 Medicare stand-alone Part D and Medicare Advantage with Part D plans beginning Oct. 1, when the plans are finalized. The website has a tool to help you narrow your search for a new Medicare Prescription Drug plan.
— Talk to your primary care and specialty doctors about which brand-name drugs can be changed to generics.
— Get samples from your doctor to help control costs.
–Search various prescription drug programs such as TrumpRX.gov, GoodRx, Single Care or Amazon for less expensive prescription drug costs. Wal-Mart, Kroger, HEB and Costco also have discount prescription drug plans.
Remember, with Medicare, what you don’t know WILL hurt you!
Email your Medicare questions to info@tonisays.com or call 832-519-8664. Sign up for the Toni Says newsletter at www.tonisays.com to download Toni’s new Medicare 2026 First Steps guide.
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Toni King is an author and columnist on Medicare, Social Security, and long-term care issues. She has spent nearly 20 years as a top sales leader in the field. If you have a Medicare question, email info@tonisays.com or call 832-519-8664.
