
Medicare Part D
Medicare Part D
Medicare Part D is private insurance to help cover the cost of prescription medications. Part D plans provide coverage for both generic and brand name medications and can be added to Medicare Part A, B or Medicare Supplement Plans. It can also be included in a Medicare Advantage Plan. You can only be enrolled in one Part D plan at a time.
The Steps of Part D Drug Coverage
There are four steps of drug coverage during the calendar year. Your drug plan will send you statements on these amounts as you fill your prescription drugs.
Step 1 Annual Deductible
If your plan has a deductible, you will pay the full cost of the drug until you reach the deductible amount.
For 2023 no plan may exceed a deductible of $505. Once this is reached you will pay the cost-share for the covered drug.
Step 2 Initial Coverage
After you have met your deductible, you will pay your plan's copays or coinsurance for covered drugs. You are in this stage until your total yearly costs reach $4,660. The total yearly costs are the total drug costs paid by both
you and your plan.
Step 3 Coverage Gap
Also referred to as the Donut Hole, you will pay 25% of the plan's cost for covered Brand-Name and Generic Drugs until your costs total $7,400.
Step 4 Catastrophic Coverage
After your yearly costs reach $7,400 you will pay the greater of 5% of the cost or $4.15 for Generic and $10.35
for Brand-Name drugs.
