Changes (good and bad) to 2027 Medicare Part D plans

The 2027 Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plans became available to the public on medicare.gov starting October 1. Beneficiaries like Tammy from Cypress, Texas, are seeing premium increases for stand-alone Part D plans, with her plan rising from $94.80 per month in 2026 to $111.40 in 2027, though she notes the increase is smaller than the prior year’s change.

Despite the premium rise, Tammy’s heart and rheumatoid arthritis prescriptions will continue to be covered as they were in 2026. Her cardiologist’s office informed her that Medicare has added about 15 expensive brand-name prescriptions to the 2027 discount list, which includes medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Ibrance, and Vraylar, among others, joining the 10 drugs discounted in 2026.

For 2027, Medicare Part D features three coverage stages: deductible, initial coverage, and catastrophic coverage. Insulin is capped at $35 per month with no deductible, and most adult Part D vaccines are covered without a deductible. During initial coverage, beneficiaries pay their share until reaching $2,400 out of pocket, after which they enter catastrophic coverage, where they pay $0 out of pocket and the plan and Medicare split costs 60/40. The process resets each January 1.

Beneficiaries are encouraged to visit medicare.gov to compare plans and find one that is affordable and covers their specific prescriptions. The Medicare prescription payment plan is also available to spread monthly drug costs throughout the year.

Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal