ANOC

ANOC  (ә / näk)
   noun

1. An acronym that stands for:  Annual Notice Of Change. 
2. The document that is sent out each year by Prescription Drug and Medicare Advantage Plans that updates members as to changes in their coverage.
3. A very important document that should be reviewed carefully.

Well, it’s getting to be that time of year again.  Although it seems like it was just summer yesterday, we are already less than two weeks from October.  Of course you know that we are getting close to fall because you’ve started getting more and more email.  The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period is just around the corner, which means open season for Medicare marketers.  This means that you may find your paper recycle bin bulging at the seams as you try to keep ahead of all the solicitations and various junk mail.  There is however, one very important piece of mail for which you will want to be on the lookout.  That’s right, it’s your Annual Notice Of Change (ANOC).

If you have a Prescription Drug Plan or are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan, you will get one of these every fall.  If you do not have a Prescription Drug Plan and you are not enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan, well then my friend, you can stop reading right here and take the rest of the day off!  But for those of you who do, keep reading. 

This document is very important because it will detail the changes in your plan for the upcoming year.  This will help you make the decision about whether or not you will keep your current plan, or shop for another.  The document itself is generally divided into two sections.  The first section is a brief summary of the highlights of the plan changes, and the second is a more detailed account of the previous year’s benefits next to the upcoming year’s benefits.  Typically this is done in a two column chart that makes comparison very easy.  As you look through these changes, we would recommend asking the following questions as a guide for keying in on some of the major, and sometimes harder to see, issues.

For Prescription Drug Plans ask:

    Did the monthly premium change?
    Did the drug copayments change?
    Are there any significant changes to the list of participating pharmacies?
    Are there any changes to the list of covered drugs that effect you (such as a change in drug tier)? 
    Are there any additional restrictions on the drugs that you're taking (such as step therapy, or quantity restrictions)?

For Medicare Advantage plans, ask the following questions in addition to those above:

    Did the annual out of pocket maximum change?
    Are there changes to the doctor, hospital, or nursing facility copays?
    Are there any changes to the out-of-network copays?
    Are there any changes to the extra benefits?

Note that sometimes the answers to the questions about prescription drug coverage may be found in the drug formulary that came with the ANOC and not in the ANOC itself.