Medicare Advantage Members Should Be Watching Mailbox for Important Health Care Packet
September 23, 2015
- The plan’s cost (monthly premium) for the upcoming year
- Any changes to cost sharing or medical benefits
- Any changes to prescription drug costs or prescription drug benefits (for those enrolled in a prescription drug plan)
- Any changes to drugs covered in the drug benefit
Every year around the end of September, or perhaps a little sooner, Medicare Advantage (MA) members receive a packet in the mail featuring important health care information. This packet can be easily overlooked, but it’s critical to pay attention to it.
In the health care industry, the packet is known concisely as the ANOC-EOC. This stands for “annual notification of changes” and “evidence of coverage.” It also generally includes a drug list known as a formulary.
This packet, along with a list of participating providers, gives MA members everything they need to decide whether to keep their current MA plan or shop for a new one during the upcoming Annual Election Period (Oct. 15-Dec. 7). It includes the following:
For the most part, the format of this packet is determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and is the same regardless of plan. However, it can be tweaked by plans to make it easier for members to understand by shading important elements and eliminating jargon wherever possible. Plans may also make the ANOC-EOC available online.
Those MA members who review their packet, and are comfortable with its contents, can keep their current plan by taking no additional action.
“It’s perfectly fine to keep your plan if you are happy with it and there are no changes,” said Marc Russo, president of Medicare programs at Anthem. “But it’s important for MA members to make an informed decision by reviewing their ANOC-EOC to make sure their medication is still covered, their doctors are still in their network, and their cost sharing hasn’t changed.”
Anyone who reads their ANOC-EOC and still has questions regarding their plan should contact their insurer.
About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Wisconsin
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin (BCBSWi), which underwrites or administers the PPO and indemnity policies; Compcare Health Services Insurance Corporation (Compcare), which underwrites or administers the HMO policies; and Compcare and BCBSWi collectively, which underwrite or administer the POS policies. Independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Additional information about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Wisconsin is available at www.anthem.com. Also, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/healthjoinin, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HealthJoinIn, or visit our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/healthjoinin.
Anthem affiliates are PPO plans, HMO plans and PDP plans with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Anthem affiliated plans depends on contract renewal.
Y0114_16_25381_I 08/24/2015
