About 63% of all 2018 stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plans will have an initial deductible ranging from $35 to $405. (Remember, you usually pay 100% of your initial deductible before your Medicare Part D plan begins to provide coverage - but, see the exceptions below when a plan may exclude low-costing formulary Tiers from the deductible.)
As background, the
standard or model CMS 2018 Medicare Part D plan
includes a $405 initial deductible (as compared to the standard $400 initial deductible in
2017 Medicare Part D plans) and
many stand-alone 2018 Medicare Part D
prescription drug plans (PDPs) will follow this CMS standard Medicare Part D plan design - although, 2018 initial deductible can range from $35 to $405.
As a state-specific example, of the
23 stand-alone 2018 Medicare Part D plans available
in
Ohio, 14 plans will have an initial deductible ranging from $300 to $405, and
9 stand-alone Medicare Part D plans
will have a $0 initial deductible. You can see our
PDP-Facts.com/2018
for Medicare Part D premium information in your state.
How many stand-alone 2018 Medicare Part D plans will have the $405 standard Initial Deductible?
Approximately
48%
of all 2018 stand-alone Medicare Part D plans (403 of the 782 PDPs) will have a $
405 initial
deductible (or more specifically, of all the 2018 PDPs having an initial
deductible (491 PDPs),
82% will have the
standard deductible of $405). In
comparison, approximately
76%
of all 2017 stand-alone Medicare Part D plans (466 of the 746 PDPs) have a $
400 standard initial
deductible.**
The $0 initial deductible Medicare Part D plan losing favor over time.Although there are slightly more 2018 Medicare Part D plans available
with a $0 initial deductible, there is actually a smaller percentage of
$0 deductible 2018 Medicare Part D
plans offered when compared to the total number of stand-alone 2018
Medicare Part D plans.
In fact, according to our calculations,
only 37%
of all 2018 stand-alone
Medicare Part D plans will offer a $0 initial deductible (as compared to
38% of the 2017 Medicare Part D plans - and looking way back, compared
to
60% of 2007 PDPs that had a $0 deductible).**
Here is a chart showing the changes of Medicare Part D plan designs since 2007 with fewer
Medicare Part D plans now offering a $0 initial deductible.
** Please note that we are not considering Medicare Part D prescription drug plans (PDPs) in U.S. Territories or Puerto Rico.
2018 Medicare Part D plans with some Formulary Tiers excluded from the Initial Deductible
As was true in 2017, a number of stand-alone 2018 Medicare Part D plans having an initial
deductible should exclude some of their formulary tiers from the initial deductible and provide
immediate coverage for these drugs, even though the initial deductible is not met. For example, your Medicare Part D plan may have a $405 initial deductible, but your Tier 1 and Tier 2 formulary drugs are excluded from the deductible, meaning you do not need to pay the $405 before getting coverage for these lower-costing drugs.
Editorial Comment: This is a definite bonus for people using mostly low-costing
generic medications and who usually did not meet their initial deductible until almost the
end of the plan year. Now these people will have "first dollar coverage" for their
low-costing medications, plus the usual Medicare Part D coverage protection should they need any expensive
brand or specialty medications costing well beyond the deductible.
For example, the
2017 Humana Walmart Rx Plan has a $400 initial deductible with some of the generic formulary medications excluded
from the deductible. How does this work? This means that, if you were still within your $400 initial deductible
and purchase a medication such as Atorvastatin Calcium (generic Lipitor (r)), you would
not pay full retail price, but would instead be charged only a copayment
for this generic medication (when purchased at one of the Medicare Part D plan’s preferred
network pharmacy -- such as a Walmart pharmacy). And
as always,
if your Medicare Part D plan’s cost-sharing is more than your drug’s retail price,
then you pay the lesser retail price (you never pay more than your negotiated retail price).
Reminder: Your Medicare plan costs and coverage can (and probably will) change
each year.
If you are interested in changing your Medicare plan enrollment, the annual Open Enrollment Period
(or Annual Election Period) for Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare Part D drug plans begins
on October 15 and continues through December 7, 2017.
Not sure where to begin?
If you or another Medicare beneficiary needs assistance understanding how your 2017 Medicare
plan is changing or to learn more about your 2018 Medicare plan coverage options,
please call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and speak with a Medicare representative.