Reminder: Medicare Part D plans can (and usually do) change every year and you should be aware that your current Medicare Part D plan may have the same name next year, but the plan can have changed many coverage features.
How can your Medicare plan change in a year?
- Your Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan may not be offered next year.
- You may be automatically moved or "crosswalked" to another Medicare plan.
- Your Medicare plan's name may change.
- Your monthly premiums may increase.
- Your plan's Initial Deductible may change.
- Your Medicare drug plan's Formulary or Drug List will probably change.
- Your drug cost sharing amounts (what you pay for copays or coinsurance) may change.
- Usage Management restrictions may be added to your drugs (whether your drug requires prior authorization or step-therapy or quantify limits)
- ... and more
Unfortunately, the Annual Notice of Change letter can be pretty difficult for some people to read (or just easy to ignore) and that is why we launched our PDP-Compare tool so we can stress the importance of knowing your annual plan changes.
Our this site PDP-Compare and MA-Compare tools provide a side-by-side comparison of basic plan costs and design changes between all individual Medicare Part D plans as we move from one year to the next. As an example, below shows how a Medicare Part D plan in Ohio will change the plan name, increase monthly premiums, increase the deductible, and change drug cost-sharing for the next plan year.
From the graphic you can see that people enrolled in the 2020 Ohio EnvisionRxPlus plan (who took no action during the annual Open Enrollment Period (October 15 through December 7)) found themselves enrolled in the 2021 Elixer RxSecure plan on January 1st, 2021.
On the positive side, the new 2020 plan had a larger formulary as compared to the previous year's 2019 drug list.
You can click on the plan names for the plan's coverage details and you can click on the "formulary" text to browse the plan's formulary or drug list using our Formulary Browser.
All Medicare Part D prescription drug plans in all states (and US territories) are represented with the PDP-Compare tool and here is an example link to how all stand-alone Medicare Part D plans will change from one year to the next within the state of New Jersey: PDPCompare.com/NJ. Our MA-Compare tool
You can use our PDP-Compare/FL to review coverage changes in stand-alone Part D drug plans and use our MA-Compare.com/15238 for annual changes in Medicare Advantage plans.
Like our PDP-Compare tool, you can find similar information for annual changes to Medicare Advantage plans using the this site MA-Compare or Medicare Advantage plan annual comparison tool.
As an example, using Zip Code 90001 (Los Angeles, California), you can see that there were 195 different 2020/2021 Medicare Advantage plans changes year-to-year. That is, Medicare Advantage plans in this Los Angeles county are changing healthcare and drug coverage, changing plan names, leaving the Service Area, or entering the Service Area.
Like Medicare Part D plans, each year, Medicare Advantage plans can be changing:
- Plan availability - Your Medicare Advantage plan may not be offered next year.
- New Medicare Advantage plan options may be available to you next year.
- Plan mergers and consolidations - You may be automatically moved or "crosswalked" to another Medicare plan.
- Your Medicare plan's name may change.
- Your monthly premiums may increase.
- Your plan's maximum out-of-pocket limit or MOOP may change.
- Your Medicare drug plan's Formulary or Drug Lists may change.
- Your drug cost sharing amounts (what you pay for copayments or coinsurance) may change.
- ... and more
