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Contributor ⭐
November 16, 2024

Medicare Part D

  • November 16, 2024
  • 11 replies
  • 4307 views

I currently have a Medicare part B supplemental plan and a Part D drug plan. Can I drop the Plan D for 2025 and then re-enroll for a plan D for 2026? 

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    11 replies

    GailL1
    Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐
    November 16, 2024

    NO - one way or another you have to have Medicare part D coverage.

    If you have Traditional Medicare with a Medigap supplemental plan, you must have a Medicare Part D free-standing plan.  If not, you will pay a late sign up penalty that last forever when you do enroll in one.

     

    If you take no or only a few cheap generics then just pick the cheapest Part D plan fror your area and then just buy your meds where ever is the cheapest whether or not that is the insurance plan.  This will avoid the premium tax penalty for not signing up.  There may be one that has 0 (zero) or a very low premium - and if you care gonna buy your meds elsewhere it really won’t matter if they are covered in the plan.

     

    But you need to have one.  

    IT‘S ALWAYS SOMETHING . . . . .. . . . Roseanne Roseannadanna
    DirkB349973
    Conversationalist ⭐
    November 17, 2024

    The Wellcare part D plan I use was $0.50/month in 2024 and is dropping to $0/month for 2025. I believe the fine print said you must be enrolled in a medigap plan to remain eligible. My medigap plan is not with Wellcare so I don't think it matters who provides your gap plan. 

    GailL1
    Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐
    November 17, 2024

    @DirkB349973 

    Can you give me the name of the the Wellcare Part D plan that says this. Or quote from the plan if possible  I have tried to research it and can’t find anything like that -  It actually does not sound feasible or even legal.  

    They actually have absolutely nothing to do with each other causes the only medigap plans that had some prescription drug coverage were discontinued in 2010 - Even if a beneficiary has one of these old Medigap plans, they need to pick up a Medicare Part D free standing plan because the drug coverage is minuscule within the Medigap plan.

     

    Anyway would really like to know what you are referring to in your post.

    TIA

     

     

    IT‘S ALWAYS SOMETHING . . . . .. . . . Roseanne Roseannadanna
    Contributor ⭐
    November 18, 2024

    why are there some states that have a $0 plan if you have no current need and most others a minimum?  Sems a little unfair

    GailL1
    Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐
    November 18, 2024

    @ftz3951 

    I cannot tell you specifically but there would have to be something in your area that goes against the lower premium because they all work their cost the same way.

     

    So it could be one of these or a combination of them

    • that you have smaller insurers and they just can negotiate for the price of the meds as much as the real large insurers
    • that your state has added some additional coverage rules to the policies sold in your area and they have to comply
    • you don’t have a lot of preferred pharmacies in the area and thus the negotiations with then doesn’t get the price as low as in other areas.

    You should pick your free-standing Part D coverage based on the meds which you take.  If none or only a few of a Tier 1 level generic, then you can opt just to buy the lowest cost plan and then buy your meds at a discounter and not use the insurance at all or rarely if you are prescribe something else during the year that’s covered.

     

    You do this only to avoid the late sign up penalty for Medicare Part D - which will last forever.  

    IT‘S ALWAYS SOMETHING . . . . .. . . . Roseanne Roseannadanna
    Contributor ⭐
    November 18, 2024

    situ being that who knows how wide a formulary I might need in the future.  For now, nothing.
    But here's an interesting read at Bogleheads for those in 8 states.