Every fall, the Annual Notice of Change shows up in the mailbox. It is supposed to tell you what is different about your plan next year. It does tell you some of that. What it can't tell you is what next year will actually feel like when you fill a prescription, see your doctor, or have a bad health year.
So this week, we read the 2027 letters line by line and wrote down what they leave out. Here is the whole series in one place, five days before the Annual Enrollment Period opens on October 15.
1. Did your plan add a deductible?
We read a plan letter that didn't show either deductible. For 2027, more Advantage plans in Maricopa County have a medical deductible, and drug deductibles can reach $700. Here is where to find your real numbers.
2. What's your worst-case year?
The letter lists an out-of-pocket maximum. It doesn't add up what a bad year costs you all in: the premium, Part B, the medical limit, and the drug cap. We did the arithmetic for both paths through Medicare.
3. Is your drug plan still the right one?
The letter can list changes to the drug list. It can't tell you what your own prescriptions will cost at your own pharmacy next year. The ten-minute search that answers it.
4. Is your doctor still in your plan's network?
The letter can say the network changed. It can't say whether your doctor left. How to check, and the one phone call that settles it.
5. What do the extras really cover?
Dental, vision, and hearing are the extras people notice first, and the letter rarely shows their limits. Where the real limits live, and why the extras belong last on your list, not first.
Before October 15
You don't have to read all five tonight. Pick the one that worries you most and start there. Then pull out your own letter and check the same spot.
The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7. If you would rather go through it with someone, call us at (602) 281-3898. Bring the letter. We'll bring the coffee.
Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only. It is not sponsored, endorsed, or otherwise representative of Medicare or the federal Medicare program. American Retirement Advisors is not a government agency. For official Medicare information, visit medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).