A Medicare Annual Review Checklist Before Open Enrollment

Even if you like your current Medicare coverage, an annual review is worth the time. A plan's costs, covered drugs, and other details may change for the next year. Reviewing those changes does not mean you have to switch plans.

Start with your plan's notice

If you have a Medicare health or drug plan, look for its Annual Notice of Change in the fall. Medicare says plans send this notice in September to explain changes taking effect in January. Read it alongside your current coverage documents, and flag anything you do not understand.

Medicare's yearly Open Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7. Depending on the coverage you have, this is a time when you can make certain changes for the following year. Confirm your choices and applicable deadlines with Medicare's Open Enrollment guide.

Check the details that affect your routine

Bring these questions to your review:

• Doctors and facilities: Are your preferred providers and hospitals still available under the option you are considering? Check directly with the plan and providers before enrolling.
• Prescriptions and pharmacies: Are your exact medications on the current drug list? Are there coverage rules or preferred pharmacies that affect your costs?
• Total costs: Compare premiums, deductibles, copays, coinsurance, drug costs, and any applicable out-of-pocket maximum rather than looking at the premium alone.
• How care is accessed: Ask about networks, referrals, prior authorization, and what happens when you travel.
• Other coverage: If you have employer, retiree, VA, TRICARE, or other coverage, ask how a proposed change could affect it before taking action.

If you are considering a switch from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare, ask separately about drug coverage and Medigap eligibility. Medicare cautions that there are limits on when you can add a Medigap policy; do not assume a switch guarantees access to one.

Keep the comparison private and specific

Make a list of your doctors, prescriptions, and preferred pharmacies for a secure conversation. Do not submit a Medicare number, Social Security number, medication list, or private health details through our website contact form.

The next step is simple: identify what has changed, compare the options available where you live, and get answers before enrolling. Fulton Insurance Agency can help you organize the conversation without rushing the decision.

Ask us about a Medicare review · Call 405-324-1115

Official resources: Annual Notice of Change · Medicare Open Enrollment · Medicare Plan Compare

This article is general information, not a recommendation for a particular plan. Plan availability, benefits, costs, and eligibility depend on your circumstances and may change. Fulton Insurance Agency is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.