The Medicare Open Enrollment Checklist

Every fall, your plan mails an Annual Notice of Change. Most people file it unread. It is the single most useful document you'll get all year.

Check three things: whether your doctors are still in network, whether your prescriptions are still on the formulary and at what tier, and whether the out-of-pocket maximum moved.

If any of those changed, it's worth comparing plans. An independent broker is paid by the carriers, not by you, so a comparison costs nothing.

Mark October 15 through December 7 on the calendar. Outside that window, your options narrow considerably.