Drug coverage
Pairing a Medicare Supplement with Part D drug coverage
A Supplement helps with hospital and doctor bills. It does not pay for prescriptions. If you take medications, you will usually add a Part D plan, chosen separately. Here is how the two fit together and what to check every fall.
Two policies, two jobs
Original Medicare Parts A and B cover hospital and medical care. A Supplement covers some of the costs Medicare leaves behind. Neither covers most prescriptions you pick up at the pharmacy. For that, you buy a Part D plan from a private insurance company, and it has its own premium, deductible, drug list and pharmacy network. You can hold a Supplement and a Part D plan at the same time, and many people do.
It helps to think of them as separate decisions. You choose the Supplement mainly for how you want to handle medical costs. You choose Part D mainly for the drugs you take and the pharmacies you use. Our plan comparison covers the first decision, and this page covers the second.
How Part D costs work
- Monthly premium
- You pay it to the plan, and it varies by plan. If you have to pay a late enrollment penalty, it is added to this premium.
- Deductible
- No plan may have a deductible higher than $615 in 2026 or $700 in 2027. Some plans have a lower deductible, and some have none.
- Coinsurance until the cap
- After any deductible, you generally pay 25% of the cost of covered drugs until your out-of-pocket spending on covered drugs reaches $2,100 in 2026 or $2,400 in 2027.
- Catastrophic stage
- After that, you do not pay out of pocket for covered drugs for the rest of the calendar year.
Those are the federal limits. Your own plan's costs depend on the drugs you take and where you fill them. Extra Help, a program for people with limited income, can lower these costs further, and we can point you to how to apply.
Why a yearly checkup is worth the time
Drug plans change every year. A plan can change its list of covered drugs, move a medication to a more expensive tier, or change which pharmacies are preferred. The plan that worked well last year may not be the one that works well next year. In contrast, your Supplement letter stays the same from year to year, though its premium can change.
Between October 15 and December 7, you can look at your drug plan again. That is happening now, and a quick review before December 7 can avoid a surprise at the pharmacy counter in January. Bring your pill bottles or a list of medications, the doses and the pharmacy you use, and we will check them against the plans available in St. Mary's County.
What to bring to a drug plan review
- A list of every prescription, with the dose and how often you take it
- The names of the pharmacies you use, and whether you would switch for a lower cost
- Your current plan's Annual Notice of Changes, if you received one
- Your Medicare card, so we can confirm which parts you have
The late enrollment penalty, briefly
If you go without Part D, or other drug coverage that counts as creditable, for a stretch after you are first eligible, a penalty may be added to your premium for as long as you have Part D. Medicare.gov suggests that even if you take few drugs now, a plan with a low monthly premium can help you avoid it. If you have retiree or TRICARE drug coverage, ask us whether it counts before you decide to skip or drop Part D.
Common questions
Do I need Part D if I have a Medicare Supplement?
A Supplement does not include drug coverage, so most people who take prescriptions pair it with a separate Part D plan. If you go without Part D when you are first eligible and have no other creditable coverage, a late enrollment penalty can apply.
What is the most I could pay for covered drugs in a year?
Part D has a yearly out-of-pocket limit for covered drugs. It is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Premiums are separate and do not count toward it.
When can I change my Part D plan?
You can change plans during the Annual Enrollment Period each fall, from October 15 to December 7. Some special situations allow changes at other times.
Check your drug plan before December 7
A review takes a short phone call. We compare plans for your medications and pharmacies, and our help is free to you. Call (410) 896-1212, or book a time that works for you.