Medicare Annual Enrollment Starts October 15: A Katy, TX Preview

Read the ANOC letter — it matters

Every September, your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan mails an Annual Notice of Change. It tells you what's changing January 1: premiums, drug tiers, copays, and network. If your medication moved tiers or your Katy doctor left the network, that letter is your early warning.

Your September prep list

1. Read your ANOC letter and note anything that got worse
2. Write down every prescription you take, with dosage
3. List the doctors you want to keep — primary, specialists, preferred hospital
4. Book your review appointment before the October 15 rush

What you can change during AEP

• Switch Medicare Advantage plans
• Drop Advantage and return to Original Medicare (with a Part D plan)
• Join or switch a Part D drug plan
• Move from Original Medicare to an Advantage plan

Local networks to compare

Advantage plans in the Katy area differ mainly by network — Houston Methodist West, Memorial Hermann Katy, Memorial Hermann Cypress, HCA Katy and the Kelsey-Seybold clinics aren't all on every plan. Because Katy spans Harris, Fort Bend and Waller counties, your exact address determines which plans you can pick.