What's Medicare Drug Coverage (Part D)?
Medicare drug coverage (also known as Medicare Part D) helps pay for the brand-name and generic drugs you need. It's optional and offered to everyone with Medicare by insurance companies and other private companies approved by Medicare.
Choose how you get drug coverage | Medicare
You get your Part A, Part B, and Medicare drug coverage (Part D) through a single plan. Remember, you must have Part A and Part B to join a Medicare Advantage Plan, and you’ll usually get your drug coverage through that plan.
Part D – Drug coverage. Helps cover the cost of prescription drugs (including many recommended shots or . vaccines). Plans that offer Medicare drug coverage (Part D) are run by private insurance companies that follow rules set by Medicare.
How much does Medicare drug coverage cost? | Medicare
The Part D late enrollment penalty is calculated by multiplying 1% times the “national base beneficiary premium” ($36.78 in 2025) times the number of full, uncovered months you were eligible to join Medicare drug coverage but didn’t (and didn’t have other creditable prescription drug coverage).
Creditable prescription drug coverage - Medicare
If you go 63 days or more in a row without Medicare drug coverage OR other creditable prescription drug coverage after you were eligible for Medicare, you may have to pay a Part D late enrollment penalty if you sign up for Medicare drug coverage later.
What if I want to switch, drop, or rejoin drug coverage?
What's Medicare Drug Coverage (Part D)? Drug coverage basics; Choose how you get drug coverage; What if I want to switch, drop, or rejoin drug coverage?
pay Medicare drug coverage (Part D) costs. Some people qualify automatically for Extra Help, while others need to apply. The Extra Help program can help pay these Medicare drug costs: • Premium: A monthly amount you pay for coverage, whether you get services or not • Deductible: An amount you have to pay for covered services and items each year
Medicare drug coverage (Part D) Most Medicare Advantage Plans include Medicare drug coverage (Part D). In certain types of plans that don’t include Medicare drug coverage (like Medical Savings Account Plans and some Private Fee-for-Service Plans), you can join a separate Medicare drug plan.
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2025 Medicare costs
2025 Part D national base premium — $36.78 Medicare uses the national base premium to estimate the Part D late enrollment penalty and the income-related monthly adjustment amounts listed in the table above. The national base amount can change each year. If you pay a late enrollment penalty, your total premium amount may be higher.
When you get a prescription for a drug covered by Part D, your plan will automatically let the pharmacy know that you’re participating in this payment option, and you won’t pay the pharmacy for the prescription.