How to Compare Medicare Part D Plans

medicare advantage plans for prescription drug plans

If you are a resident in Idaho, then keep in mind that if you’re enrolled in Medicare Part A and/or Medicare Part B, you can enroll in Medicare Part D , which will help you with prescription drug costs.

Part D plans are offered through private insurance companies that are contracted with and regulated by Medicare. There are actually two ways in which you can get prescription drug coverage, which include getting a standalone Part D plan alongside Original Medicare or getting it as an added benefit with Medicare Advantage.

Now, when it comes to comparing one prescription drug plan with another, you need to be aware of a couple of factors, which include costs and coverage!

Medicare Part D Costs

Roughly around 58% of Idaho residents are enrolled in a standalone Part D plan, whereas 42% of people have their prescription drug coverage through a Medicare Advantage plan.

When it comes to comparing the costs of these plans, you need to understand that no matter what county or town you live in, your Part D costs will always vary. So, when comparing costs across counties, keep in mind that your Part D premiums can range anywhere from as low as $13 to as high as $120.

Some Part D plans will even have a $0 deductible, but as of 2021, no Part D deductible can exceed $445. This means if your plan does have a deductible, it cannot go any higher than this amount for the entire calendar year.

Medicare Part D Coverage

Each Part D plan also has a formulary, which is a list of the prescription drugs it covers. Again, these formularies will differ among plans, but each plan is required to cover at least two prescription drugs from each class/category. They are also required to cover most, if not all of these specific types of drugs: