Neither Medicare Part A nor Medicare Part B of the traditional Medicare programs include prescription drug coverage. For people over 65 who rely on prescription medication to maintain their health, Medicare Part D provides prescription drug insurance for anybody who qualifies for Medicare Part A or Medicare Part B regardless of health status or income level.
In order to receive prescription drug coverage, you must enroll in a Medicare drug plan. Medicare Part D plans are offered by Medicare approved private companies. Many Medicare Advantage plans cover both prescription drugs and medical care so long as you have both Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B. If you have traditional Medicare, you must enroll in a separate Medicare Part D plan if you want your medication covered. If you want prescription drug coverage, select the Medicare Part D plan you are interested in by enrolling online, over the phone, or by paper application.
Enrolling in Medicare prescription drug coverage is completely voluntary for most people—unless you are currently getting your medicine through Medicaid. If you already have sufficient prescription drug coverage through another service, it is not necessary to enroll in a Medicare Part D plan. Remember, you will most likely have to pay a premium for your Medicare Part D coverage, although there are subsidies available for people with limited incomes.
If you do not want to pay a premium for Medicare Part D, you can simply use the deep prescription medicine discounts offered by the AmeriFROG reward benefits are entirely free. AmeriFROG is not insurance, but does give you access to deeply discounted healthcare and prescription medicine, and you may be able to eliminate you medical out-of-pocket expenses when paying with Healthcare Coins.
Medicare Part D plans vary in cost and coverage by region and by carrier, so it is important to determine which Medicare Part D plan is right for you. Many Medicare Part D plans also have a coverage gap, meaning that they will only cover up to a certain dollar amount for your prescription medication. Once you spend more than that amount, you must pay the full cost of your prescription drugs until you reach the out of pocket obligation of your Medicare Part D plan. After you surpass the Medicare Part D out-of-pocket obligation, you are only responsible for a co-payment. Not all Medicare Part D plans cover all the prescription drugs that you may be taking. Your co-payment will vary depending on your income and on the types of medication that you need.
Medicare Part D plans only cover medically necessary drugs. Medicare Part D plans across the board do not offer coverage for cosmetic uses, over the counter drugs, weight loss, or other drugs that are not deemed medically necessary by the Medicare Part D plan. Drug cost and coverage varies from Medicare Part D plan to Medicare Part D plan, so it is important to select a Medicare Part D plan based on your own personal needs.