But Do You Really Need to Change?
If you’re on Medicare, October probably means one thing: your mailbox is about to get very full. Television commercials, postcards, phone calls and advertisements all seem to have the same message: “It’s Medicare Annual Enrollment—you need to change your plan!”
But here’s something I tell my clients every year: You don’t necessarily need to change anything. You just need to make sure what you have still works for you. Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, allowing Medicare beneficiaries to review and make changes to Medicare Advantage and prescription drug coverage for the following year.
Start With Your Annual Notice of Change
Before looking at advertisements, start with your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). This document explains what is changing with your current plan for the coming year.
Look closely at your: Doctors. Hospitals. Prescriptions. Premiums. Copays. Benefits. Is your plan offered in 2027?
Then ask one simple question: Does my current plan still work for ME?
Your neighbor may love their Medicare plan, but they may have completely different doctors, prescriptions and health needs. There is no single “best” Medicare plan. I believe it’s about finding the Right Plan, for the Right Person, at the Right Time.
Annual Enrollment Doesn’t Mean Annual Switching
Sometimes, after reviewing everything, the best decision is to do nothing. If your doctors are still available, your prescriptions are covered, your costs remain reasonable, and you’re happy with your benefits, staying exactly where you are may be the right choice.
My job isn’t to find you a different plan every year. It’s to help make sure you’re still on the right one.
But don’t assume nothing has changed either. Have your medications changed? Are you seeing a new specialist? Are your costs changing? Is your plan or medical group changing for next year? Those are all reasons to take a closer look.
This Annual Enrollment Period, don’t choose a plan because of a television commercial, don’t change because your neighbor changed, and don’t stay simply because you’ve had the same plan for years.
Instead of asking: “What’s the best Medicare plan?”
Ask: “What’s the best Medicare plan for ME?”
That one extra question can make all the difference.
Carlos Aguilar is a local Medicare and health insurance broker with 3G Health Insurance Services, helping seniors confidently navigate Medicare and thrive after 65.
949.529.7123 / 3GInsuranceServices.com / #0L87403
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Based in San Juan Capistrano, Serving California and Beyond
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