In the past, we have always evaluated the Low Income Subsidy (or Extra Help) plans from the state perspective, that is in each state, how many Medicare Part D plans qualifying for the $0 LIS premium will be offered - and further, which plans will enter and exit the offerings.
This blog illustrates the transposed view: Which LIS $0 qualifying 2015 Medicare Part D plans will be offered, in how many states will they be available and how has this changed from the 2014 perspective.
Seventeen (17) LIS qualifying plans will be offered in 2015 as compared to 23 LIS qualifying plans in 2014 (both years include the still-sanctioned SmartD Medicare Part D plans), this is a decrease of six (6) plans or a 35% reduction in the number of Extra Help plans available.
| Low Income Subsidy Qualifying stand-alone Medicare
Part D Prescription Drug Plans State Count 2015 vs. 2014 |
|||
| 2015 Plan Name | 2015 States | 2014 Plan Name | 2014 States |
| AARP MedicareRx Saver Plus (PDP) | 33 | AARP MedicareRx Saver Plus (PDP) | 34 |
| Advantage-Plus Meridian (PDP) | 4 | ||
| Aetna CVS/pharmacy Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) | 19 | ||
| Aetna Medicare Rx Essentials (PDP) | 4 | ||
| Aetna Medicare Rx Saver (PDP) | 34 | First Health Part D Essentials (PDP) Crosswalked to Aetna Medicare Rx Saver | 1 |
| Blue Cross MedicareRx Basic (PDP) | 4 | Blue Cross MedicareRx Basic (PDP) | 4 |
| Blue MedicareRx Standard (PDP) | 6 | ||
| Blue MedicareRx Value (PDP) | 1 | Blue MedicareRx Value (PDP) | 3 |
| Cigna-HealthSpring Rx Secure (PDP) | 23 | Cigna Medicare Rx Secure (PDP) | 24 |
| Cigna-HealthSpring Rx (PDP) Crosswalked to Cigna-HealthSpring Rx Secure |
19 | ||
| Colorado Access Vista Medicare PDP (PDP) | 1 | ||
| EnvisionRxPlus Silver (PDP) | 24 | EnvisionRxPlus Silver (PDP) | 19 |
| Express Scripts Medicare - Value (PDP) | 8 | Express Scripts Medicare - Value (PDP) | 12 |
| HealthMarkets Value Rx (PDP) | 23 | ||
| Humana Preferred Rx Plan (PDP) | 34 | Humana Preferred Rx Plan (PDP) | 34 |
| SecureAdvantage Rx - Option 1 (PDP) | 1 | ||
| SilverScript Basic (PDP) | 31 | ||
| SilverScript Choice (PDP) | 32 | ||
| SmartD Rx Saver (PDP) sanctioned | 27 | SmartD Rx Saver (PDP) sanctioned | 27 |
| Symphonix Rite Aid Value Rx (PDP) | 18 | Symphonix Rite Aid Value Rx (PDP) | 14 |
| Symphonix Value Rx (PDP) | 11 | Symphonix Value Rx (PDP) | 7 |
| Transamerica MedicareRx Classic (PDP) | 4 | Transamerica MedicareRx Classic (PDP) | 1 |
| United American - Select (PDP) | 4 | United American - Select (PDP) | 23 |
| WellCare Classic (PDP) | 21 | WellCare Classic (PDP) | 32 |
| WellCare Simple (PDP) | 4 | ||
| Windsor Rx (PDP) | 10 | ||
| 17 LIS qualifying plans | 23 LIS qualifying plans | ||
As reference, here is a link to the: 2015 Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy Benchmark Premium Amounts (includes 2015 - 2006 for comparison)
You can review national and state level Medicare Part D facts and statistics for the 2015 plan year at PDP-Facts.com/2015. A comparison of Medicare Part D plans per state can be found at PDP-Finder.com/2015 or how the 2014 Medicare Part D plans will change in 2015 at PDP-Compare.com/2015. Both tools can be filtered on LIS qualifying plans.
As reference, Medicare Advantage plans information is located at MA-Finder.com/2015 and MA-Compare.com/2015.