Medicare Annual Enrollment Is Coming: 7 Things to Review Before October 15
- Maria Dyer
- Aug 10
- 6 min read
Medicare Annual Enrollment runs from October 15 through December 7 each year. Before it begins, Medicare beneficiaries can prepare by updating their doctor and prescription lists, gathering current coverage information, watching for important plan notices, reviewing their healthcare needs and deciding what matters most for the coming year.
Medicare Annual Enrollment Is Coming: 7 Things to Review Before October 15
Every fall, Medicare Annual Enrollment brings a lot of information with it.
Mail starts showing up. Commercials seem to be everywhere. Your neighbor tells you about something they heard. Your cousin sends you something they saw online. Before long, what should be a straightforward review of your healthcare coverage can start to feel pretty overwhelming.
The good news?
You don't have to wait until October 15 to start getting organized.
Medicare Annual Enrollment, sometimes called AEP, takes place each year from October 15 through December 7. During this period, Medicare beneficiaries can make certain changes to their Medicare Advantage and prescription drug coverage for the following year. Changes made during this period generally take effect January 1.
Before Annual Enrollment arrives, there are several things you can do to make your annual review much easier.
Here are seven places to start.
1. Make a Current List of Your Doctors
Start with the people taking care of you.
Write down your primary care provider along with any specialists you currently see, such as a cardiologist, oncologist, orthopedist or other provider.
Don't forget the facilities that matter to you, either. If there's a particular hospital, health system, pharmacy or other healthcare provider you prefer, include that information.
Having an accurate provider list makes it much easier to evaluate your healthcare needs when it's time for your annual review.
And don't rely on memory. Write them down.
2. Update Your Prescription List
Your medications are another important piece of the puzzle.
Make a list that includes:
The name of each prescription
Dosage
How often you take it
The pharmacy you currently use
If you've started or stopped medications since your last Medicare health plan review, make sure your list reflects that.
Prescription drug coverage can vary between plans, and drug formularies, tiers and costs can change. Having an accurate medication list allows you to evaluate coverage based on the prescriptions you actually take, rather than last year's list.
3. Think About How You Used Your Healthcare This Year
This is something people don't always think about before an annual review.
Take a minute and look backward.
Did you start seeing a new specialist?
Were you diagnosed with something new?
Did you begin taking an expensive medication?
Did you have surgery or spend time in the hospital?
Did you travel more than usual?
Did you find yourself using urgent care frequently?
Did you have trouble accessing a doctor or service you needed?
Your healthcare needs aren't necessarily the same today as they were a year ago.
An annual review shouldn't just be about comparing paperwork. It should start with what has changed in your life.
4. Gather Your Current Medicare and Coverage Information
You don't need to show up to an annual review carrying a filing cabinet.
But having the right information handy can save a lot of time.
Gather your Medicare card, information about your current Medicare health or prescription drug coverage, your updated medication list, and your provider information.
If you receive Medicaid, Extra Help or another form of assistance with healthcare costs, have that information available as well.
Keep everything together somewhere you'll remember.
Future you will be glad you did.
5. Pay Attention to Important Mail From Your Current Plan
We know. You get a lot of mail about Medicare.
But there is some mail you shouldn't automatically toss into the recycling bin.
People enrolled in Medicare Advantage or Medicare prescription drug coverage receive important information explaining their coverage for the upcoming year, including an Annual Notice of Change, commonly called an ANOC.
The ANOC explains changes to your current coverage that will take effect in the new year. CMS provides standardized materials for these annual notices.
When yours arrives, keep it.
You don't have to decipher every page yourself, but it's an important document to have available when reviewing your coverage.
6. Decide What's Most Important to YOU
There isn't one Medicare health plan that's right for everybody. There are a lot of factors that can go into choosing Medicare health plan coverage, which is why we’ve talked before about the importance of getting your Medicare decisions right from the start.
Before looking at options, think about what matters most in your particular situation.
Maybe keeping your current doctors is extremely important.
Maybe you take several prescriptions and drug costs are a major concern.
Maybe you travel frequently.
Maybe you're trying to keep monthly expenses predictable.
Maybe you've had significant changes in your health over the last year.
This is why we don't think an annual review should begin with:
“Which plan has the most extras?”
It should begin with:
“What do you need from your healthcare coverage?”
Once you know that, you have a much better starting point.
7. Get Your Annual Review on the Calendar
You don't have to wait for October 15 to start preparing for Annual Enrollment.
In fact, getting organized ahead of time can make the process much less stressful.
Medicare Annual Enrollment only lasts from October 15 through December 7, and those weeks can move quickly.
You can start gathering your information, updating your lists and thinking about your priorities now.
Then, when it's time to review your options, you're ready.
Call Hometown Senior Solutions to schedule your annual review!
Medicare Annual Enrollment FAQs
When is Medicare Annual Enrollment?
Medicare Annual Enrollment takes place every year from October 15 through December 7. Changes made during this period generally take effect January 1 of the following year.
What can I do during Medicare Annual Enrollment?
Depending on your current coverage, Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period may allow you to join, drop or switch Medicare Advantage Plans, change between Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare, or join, drop or switch Medicare prescription drug plans.
The options available to you depend on your individual situation.
Do I have to change my Medicare health plan every year?
No.
Annual Enrollment gives you an opportunity to review your coverage and make certain changes. It doesn't mean you need to switch plans every year.
The important part is reviewing before assuming.
Your healthcare needs can change, and Medicare Advantage and Part D plans can change from year to year as well.
Sometimes the result of a thorough annual review is realizing you're comfortable with what you already have.
Why should I review my coverage if I'm happy with it?
Because the question isn't only whether you liked your coverage this year.
Your prescriptions, doctors and healthcare needs may have changed. Plans can also change things such as costs, covered drugs, provider networks and benefits from one year to another.
Reviewing your coverage gives you an opportunity to make sure it still fits your needs.
What should I bring to my Medicare annual review?
Bring your Medicare information, current coverage information, an updated list of your doctors and healthcare providers, an accurate prescription list and information about any additional assistance you receive with healthcare costs.
It's also helpful to come prepared with questions and a list of the things that are most important to you.
Can I start preparing before October 15?
Absolutely.
You can organize your information, update your medication and provider lists, watch for important notices and think about your healthcare priorities ahead of time.
Specific enrollment changes during Medicare Annual Enrollment take place during the applicable enrollment period, but there's no reason you can't get organized beforehand.
Start With You, Not a Stack of Plan Brochures
Medicare Annual Enrollment doesn't have to start with a stack of brochures spread across the kitchen table.
Start with you.
Your doctors.
Your prescriptions.
Your healthcare needs.
Your budget.
And the things that matter most to you.
At Hometown Senior Solutions, that's how we approach Medicare health plan reviews. We sit down with you, look at the whole picture and help you understand your options so you can make an informed decision when the time comes.
Because choosing healthcare coverage shouldn't feel like solving a puzzle by yourself.
Medicare Annual Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7.
You can start getting ready now.
Want help preparing for AEP? Contact Hometown Senior Solutions to get your annual review on the calendar.
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