Medicare Part D Cost

Each drug plan come with different price points. The prescription drug costs you pay is determined by the plan you choose and there are many options to choose from. In some cases, your Part D premium pay also be influenced by your income. This is called the Part D Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount or Part D -IRMAA for short. This extra amount only applies to beneficiaries with a higher income level ($87,000 if you file single or $174,000 for joint filers according to medicare.gov). If you have a Part D – IRMAA, you will be notified by the Social Security Administration.

Medicare Part D

What is Medicare Part D?

The Medicare prescription drug plan benefit is known as Part D. In contrast to Original Medicare Parts A or B, which provide inpatient and outpatient medical insurance, respectively, it helps pay for the price of outpatient prescription medicines.

Part D plans are issued by a private insurance company that have agreements with the federal government, as opposed to the government directly providing Parts A and B.

If you choose Original Medicare, adding a Part D plan to your portfolio will significantly increase your access to Medicare prescription drug coverage. You don’t need a separate Part D policy if you have one of the several Medicare Advantage plans that cover prescription drugs. Generally speaking, you cannot purchase a stand-alone Part D plan if you purchase a Medicare Advantage plan without drug coverage.

How Much Does Medicare Part D Cost?

For the most part, people just pay their Part D premium. A Part D late enrollment penalty may apply if you don’t enroll in Part D when you initially become eligible.

You might have to pay more for your Medicare drug coverage if your income is higher. You must pay an additional amount on top of your monthly premium (also known as “Part D-IRMAA”) if your income exceeds a specific threshold ($87,000 for single filers and $174,000 for married couples). If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan that offers Medicare drug plans coverage, you will also be responsible for this additional cost. The majority of people won’t incur any additional Part D costs because this does not apply to everyone. Even if you don’t get drug coverage under Part B and have a greater income, you can still be required to pay a higher Part B premium. 

Based on your salary, Social Security will get in touch with you if you need to pay Part D IRMAA. Each year, your payment may vary. Contact your plan if you disagree with having to pay a higher Part D premium (for instance, if your income decreases) or if you have any questions regarding your Medicare creditable prescription drug coverage.

Make sure you are aware of the fees associated with the Medicare Part D plans you are considering.

• Premium: The monthly payment required for the prescription plan.
• The sum that must be paid out-of-pocket costs before your insurance plan will cover the cost of any drugs that are covered.
• Drug costs: If you often fill prescriptions, you can check how much each drug will cost under the plan at the pharmacies you choose.

Make important to consider all three levels of cost when making your choice; you might find that while drug expenses are cheaper on one plan, your monthly premium expense is more than it would be on a similar plan. You should base your choice on the total of the three components.