Got Your 2027 Annual Notice of Change? What to Check in NJ
Your Annual Notice of Change lists what your Medicare plan changes on January 1, 2027. In Camden County, 24 of 27 renewing Medicare Advantage plans raised their out-of-pocket maximum. Here is what to look for.
Key takeaways
- The Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) is the letter or booklet your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan sends by September 30. It compares this year with next year.
- In Camden County, 24 of 27 standard Medicare Advantage plans renewing for 2027 raised their in-network out-of-pocket maximum, and 26 raised their drug deductible.
- In New Jersey, 8 of 10 renewing stand-alone Part D plans raised their monthly premium for 2027.
- The yearly cap on Part D drug costs rises from $2,100 in 2026 to $2,400 in 2027, and the highest allowed drug deductible from $615 to $700.
- If anything in the ANOC worries you, you can switch plans between October 15 and December 7, 2026.
Your Annual Notice of Change, usually shortened to ANOC, is the single most useful piece of Medicare mail you get all year. It is a side-by-side list of what your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan will charge and cover on January 1, 2027, compared with today.
Most people set it aside. This year, that is risky. In Camden County, almost every renewing Medicare Advantage plan raised its out-of-pocket maximum, and New Jersey drug plan premiums moved sharply in both directions.
Here is how to read the ANOC in about 15 minutes, what the 2027 numbers look like in New Jersey, and what to do if something changed for the worse.
What is the Annual Notice of Change?
It is a notice your plan must send every year, by September 30, if you are in a Medicare Advantage plan or a stand-alone Part D drug plan. It shows each cost and benefit for this year and next year side by side. People with Original Medicare and a Medigap policy do not get one, because Medigap benefits are standardized.
Which lines in the ANOC matter most?
Five lines tell you most of what you need. Read these first and mark anything that went up.
- Monthly plan premium. You pay it on top of your Part B premium.
- Maximum out-of-pocket amount. The most you pay in a year for covered medical care in network.
- Hospital stay copays. Often a set amount per day for the first several days.
- Drug deductible and the tier of each of your drugs. A drug moving from tier 3 to tier 4 can double its copay.
- Network changes. The ANOC may not list every doctor, so check the 2027 provider directory too.
How much did out-of-pocket maximums rise in New Jersey?
A lot, in Camden County at least. Of the 27 standard Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage that renew there for 2027, 24 raised their in-network maximum, 3 kept it the same and 0 lowered it. The average for those plans moves from $8,196 to $9,067.
| Plan | 2026 maximum | 2027 maximum | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Health Plans Elite (HMO) | $6,000 | $9,850 | +$3,850 |
| HealthSpring True Choice (PPO) | $6,800 | $9,850 | +$3,050 |
| Clover Health Choice Value (PPO) | $8,250 | $9,850 | +$1,600 |
| HealthSpring Preferred (HMO) | $7,500 | $8,900 | +$1,400 |
| Clover Health Choice Giveback (PPO) | $8,499 | $9,850 | +$1,351 |
Source: CMS Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape, Contract Year 2027.
- raised the out-of-pocket maximum
- 24 of 27
- raised the monthly premium
- 14 of 27
- lowered the monthly premium
- 3 of 27
- raised the drug deductible
- 26 of 27
What changed for New Jersey Part D drug plans?
Premiums moved a long way in both directions. New Jersey is a single Part D region, so every county sees the same 11 stand-alone drug plans for 2027. Of the 10 plans that renew with the same plan ID, 8 raised their monthly premium.
| Plan | 2026 premium | 2027 premium | 2026 deductible | 2027 deductible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellcare Classic (PDP) | $28.20 | $24.30 | $615 | $700 |
| Wellcare Value Script (PDP) | $22.80 | $5.30 | $615 | $700 |
| SilverScript Choice (PDP) | $97.40 | $120.50 | $615 | $700 |
| Humana Basic Rx Plan (PDP) | $4.40 | $28.30 | $615 | $700 |
| Humana Premier Rx Plan (PDP) | $111.90 | $131.20 | $0 | $350 |
| Humana Value Rx Plan (PDP) | $35.60 | $65.30 | $601 | $687 |
| AARP Medicare Rx Saver from UHC (PDP) | $77.40 | $138.50 | $615 | $700 |
| AARP Medicare Rx Preferred from UHC (PDP) | $118.90 | $210.70 | $130 | $300 |
| Horizon Medicare Blue Rx Standard (PDP) | $72.30 | $130.30 | $615 | $700 |
| Horizon Medicare Blue Rx Enhanced (PDP) | $139.10 | $217.90 | $200 | $300 |
Source: CMS Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape, Contract Year 2027.
Two HealthSpring drug plans from 2026 are combined into one plan for 2027. If you were in either, your ANOC names the plan you are moving into. Our Part D planning post covers the drug side in more depth.
What should I do if my plan got worse?
Compare it against other plans before December 7, 2026. You do not have to stay in a plan just because it renews.
- Write down the changes that affect you: your drugs, your doctors, your likely hospital use.
- Price the year: 12 months of premium, plus expected copays, plus drug costs.
- Compare two or three alternatives on the same basis, using the 2027 drug list and network for each.
- Enroll by December 7. The new plan starts January 1 and your old plan ends automatically.
The bottom line
Read your 2027 Annual Notice of Change before December 7, 2026. In Camden County, 24 of 27 renewing Medicare Advantage plans raised their out-of-pocket maximum and 8 of 10 renewing New Jersey drug plans raised their premium. Check the premium, the maximum, hospital copays, your drug tiers and your doctors, then compare if anything moved the wrong way.
Frequently asked questions
When do Medicare plans send the Annual Notice of Change?
By September 30 each year, for the plan year that starts the following January 1. The 2027 notices went out by September 30, 2026.
Do I need to do anything if my plan is not changing much?
No action is required if your plan renews and still covers your doctors and drugs. You stay in it for 2027. It is still worth checking your drug tiers and the out-of-pocket maximum.
Is the Part D out-of-pocket cap higher in 2027?
Yes. The yearly cap on what you pay for covered Part D drugs is $2,400 in 2027, up from $2,100 in 2026. The highest drug deductible a plan can charge rises from $615 to $700.
Does Medigap have an Annual Notice of Change?
No. Medigap plans are standardized, so they do not send an ANOC. Your Medigap premium can still change, and your company will tell you when it does.
Sources
- CMS Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape, Contract Year 2027 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- CMS Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape, Contract Year 2026 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- Medicare & You 2027 handbook Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Please note: We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.Garden State Medicare Solutions is not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program. Medicare has neither endorsed nor reviewed this information. This article is general information, not medical, tax or legal advice.
