Medicare Advantage plans can change their premiums, copays, doctor networks, drug lists and extra benefits every year. Here is how to find out what is changing in your plan, and how to protect yourself from a big hospital bill.
Step 1: Read Your Annual Notice of Change
Each fall, your Medicare Advantage plan must send you an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) that lists what changes on January 1. Look for:
- The monthly premium and the maximum out-of-pocket limit.
- The daily copay for hospital stays, and how many days it applies.
- Whether your doctors and hospitals are still in the network.
- Whether your prescriptions are still covered, and at what cost.
- Changes to dental, vision, hearing or other extras.
Step 2: Do the Hospital Math
Many Medicare Advantage plans charge a set copay for each day you are in the hospital, often for the first several days of a stay.
Example: if a plan charges $300 a day for days 1 through 5, a 4-day hospital stay would mean $1,200 in hospital copays, before any other bills. Check your own plan’s numbers; they differ by plan.
Your plan’s maximum out-of-pocket limit caps your covered costs for the year, but that limit can be several thousand dollars.
Step 3: Decide Whether to Switch or Add Coverage
From October 15 to December 7, you can switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan, or go back to Original Medicare. If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, you also get one change from January 1 to March 31.
Hospital Indemnity: Cash If You Are Hospitalized
A hospital indemnity policy pays a set daily amount directly to you if you are hospitalized. You can use the money for your hospital copays or anything else. It does not replace your Medicare coverage.
According to ManhattanLife’s 2026 brochure, ManhattanLife Hospital Indemnity Select:
- Is available for ages 18 to 89, and guarantee issued for ages 64½ to 70.
- For issue ages 64½ to 89, pays a daily benefit you choose between $50 and $750, for a 3-, 6- or 10-day benefit period.
- Pays directly to you, with no network restrictions, and benefits restore 60 days after you are discharged.
- Is guaranteed renewable for life, and rates do not increase as you age.
- Offers optional riders, including a first-day hospital admission benefit and a skilled nursing facility benefit.
The right daily amount depends on your plan’s hospital copays. To compare, see Hospital Indemnity Select and apply online, or book a call with David. See also our hospital indemnity guide.
For official information on all of your options, visit Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Compare Medicare plans
To compare Medicare Advantage and Part D plans, call our Medicare partner line at (833) 631-7640. Calls to this number are answered by licensed Medicare agents at our enrollment partner, not by Brilliant Insurance.
About Brilliant Insurance
Brilliant Insurance is an independent agency in Plano, Texas. David Gustafson (Texas License #2116912, NPN 18037219) helps with life insurance and supplemental plans such as hospital indemnity. For those, book a free 30-minute call or call (972) 750-3031.
This article is general information, not advice for your situation. Medicare costs shown are 2026 figures from CMS and change every year. Plans, benefits and availability vary by plan and location.
