Most people don’t pay much attention to what’s in the mail these days, but each September, those on Medicare should be on the lookout for an ANOC!
Each August and September, most insurance carriers send out an “Annual Notice of Change”, or ANOC, letter. It usually arrives by mail, and in rare cases by e-mail, followed by a mailed letter. This notice details any plan changes for the year ahead starting in January, and in recent years, it’s rare that a Medicare plan has no changes at all.
Regardless of whether you have a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy or a Medicare Advantage plan, changes usually come. However, the amount and severity of those changes depend on your plan type, where you live, and various company, market, and use factors that vary by insurer.
This letter matters because you and your care team decide whether to switch to a new insurance plan or stay where you are during the upcoming Annual Enrollment Period. It’s also important to us to know which plan you are on, what they want to change, and what is important to you that is changing and driving your need to explore other options.
So be on the lookout for this letter in our mailbox usually before September 30th each year. If you don’t receive it by then, contact your carrier or us to confirm it was sent and what might have happened, and to understand what to expect from that letter. We are always available to guide you through this letter and beyond:
The honest answer is: it depends on which coverage you're asking about, since Medicare doesn't run on one single clock.
Medicare Advantage and Part D drug plans follow the Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 through December 7 every year, with changes taking effect January 1. This is your one truly wide-open window: switch plans, switch drug coverage, move from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage or back, all fully on the table.
There's a second, lesser-known window if you're already on a Medicare Advantage plan: January 1 through March 31, called the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. It's a one-time do-over, letting you switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan or drop it and return to Original Medicare. It doesn't let you newly join Medicare Advantage from Original Medicare, and it doesn't guarantee you a Medigap policy without health questions if you're returning to Original Medicare, so know that before you count on it.
Medicare Supplement, or Medigap, plans work completely differently. There's no annual window at all in most states, including Texas. You generally get one guaranteed shot, a six-month period starting when you first have Part B at 65 or older, to buy any Medigap policy without health questions. Outside that window, or a handful of specific protected situations, applying later usually means answering health questions, and the insurer can charge more or decline you.
Ancillary coverage, dental, vision, hearing, hospital indemnity, cancer, final expense, life insurance, annuities, isn't tied to Medicare's calendar at all. You can generally apply any time of year, though new coverage typically involves a health questionnaire.
AEP opens in about two weeks. If any of this makes you want a second opinion before then, now's genuinely the time, not after December 7. Which of these windows do you think applies to you? Tell us in the comments and we'll help you figure it out
Every Fall, everyone selling and marketing Medicare turns their attention to reaching you, however they can, so you'll buy their product. We're not above wanting your business either, but our approach looks nothing like the bombardment your phone, inbox, TV, and mailbox are about to face. I can't make those calls, texts, and emails stop completely. But before you write this off, let me give you a peek behind the curtain at how this is actually required to work, not just supposed to, and a plan so you're in control of it instead of the other way around.
Step 1: Have a Plan. Before October 15th each year, gather the people you trust to advise you on your healthcare, and decide whether you want to make any changes. Do this every year, even if the answer is no. You should receive your carrier's change notice in writing by the end of September, by mail, email, or both. Never rely on a phone call for this. You can also get a current explanation of benefits from your carrier's website, or from an agent like me.
Step 2: Get a Licensed Medicare Agent You Trust. Here's the approach Senior Health Services trained me on, and it's what drew me to this work: we're your agent and your guide for Medicare and everything around it, whether you change anything or not, at no additional charge for our time, research, and attention. If no one fills that role for you and your family, give me a real shot, I plan on doing this the rest of my life. If someone already does, and you trust them, stay with them. We're only paid if you sign up through us, but if you don't, we still want you taken care of, and we'll be here when you're ready. Reply or grab time on our website if you have questions.
Step 3: Know Your Plan and Your Answer. Now for the part that actually protects you. CMS marketing rules prohibit any of us from calling or emailing you at all unless you gave permission first. That rule doesn't cover regular mail, so be aware. Calling a number from a TV ad or mailer, visiting that website, filling out a permission to contact form, or calling a number off a business card, all count as permission. If someone calls you out of nowhere, you don't owe them a conversation. If someone calls claiming to be from your carrier, they should already know your information, don't give them anything until they confirm your member number and enough details to make you comfortable, and the call should be about an existing claim or issue, not a new sales pitch you never agreed to. And never say the word "yes" to a number you don't know, people have genuinely been enrolled in plans they never asked for this way.
I know that's a lot, and yes, it's a little scary. Thousands of Medicare agents do right by seniors every single day. Seek us out, review your plan every year, and send anyone else who calls to sell you something down the road kicking a rock. If you'd like this as a talk for your group, in Houston or online, I'd love to give it.
Are you the same as the Medicare companies I see on TV, or the ones who call me every Fall? I hear this a lot as an independent Medicare broker-agent, and the honest answer is no, though we all get painted with the same brush. Here are the facts, verifiable in your Medicare & You book or at Medicare.gov, straight from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Agents are only allowed to contact you in three situations. First, if you are already a customer and gave permission, your carrier can call, text, or email you. They should already have your details, so if they ask you for them, be cautious. Second, if you saw a TV ad or received a mailer and you call them first, they can then talk with you. Third, if you filled out a permission to contact form in person, they can follow up, though that permission should be tied to that specific event, not open ended.
Phone calls are the hardest to police. Your carrier may legitimately call about your plan or a wellness visit, and they should already know your details. If someone calls you cold, doesn't know your information, and you never gave permission, hang up. They are violating CMS marketing rules, not just being pushy.
TV ads and mailers are usually a specific insurer trying to win your business. Only call back if you want to talk with them, or reach out to someone like me first, so you can hear about all your options, not just one, and decide for yourself with no pressure. That's how I, and the group of agents I work alongside, believe this should be done. Let's talk when you're ready.
It has been a while since I’ve been here, but a lot has changed behind the scenes. To start, I am pleased to re-introduce myself as a Licensed Medicare Broker Agent in the States of Texas (home state of course), Kansas, and anywhere else I’m needed. We’ll get into more reasons why in the coming posts, but for those aged 65+ you will want to know because now more than ever you need accurate information about your health insurance needs and requirements and you should revisit your individual situation at least once a year. On that journey, I’ll be here to answer any and all of your questions at no charge for my time, ever!
This pivot started inn the Spring of this year (2026). I had nearly 40 business strategies that were relatively easy to implement for a company of any size. They were proven time and again to show dramatic results from simple changes. These changes have been used by companies like Walmart and McDonalds for years, and became a part of who they are. Yet, like many people, I struggled to get a foot in the door in crowded spaces where I had few connections. Then, a couple of conversations wit the leaders (respectively) of Senior Health Services, the largest Medicare brokerage agency in Texas, and one of its top affiliates at Senior Benefits Consulting, changed my life, really, for three reasons.
First, we [now including me] represent many Medicare and ancillary insurance providers, and we fill a need for them they couldn’t possibly manage, so it’s a symbiotic relationship and the client/beneficiary wins. Second, though clients need Medicare services, they/you don’t pay us anything. If you sign up with us, the insurance companies compensate us. If not, we still get to take tremendous satisfaction that you are getting the solution that fits you the best for now. We are confident that if we do our job well, that good will carries into the future and to your friends when they need. Third, we are able to use lots of creative, and yes completely legal, resources at our disposal to ensure that you can live as high-quality a life as is possible for you and your family.
Every need, every person, and every situation, is unique and different in this business. What works for your cousin or neighbor may not be ideal for you. So it’s our mission to educate you on all options and let you make the best decision for yourself and your life. I hope to share some of that knowledge on the socials, on our blog at www.seniorsgetanswers.com, in person throughout Northeast Houston, or online via videos and live Q&As. If you have questions, DM me on here or vist that website to contact me for your own personal Q&A or a Discovery Session to see the Medicare (and more) coverage options that you might have available.
