Is the Donut Hole Getting You!!

Toni:

Last year, my husband got into the “donut hole” in September.  I can see from the Part D statement he receives monthly that he is rapidly approaching the donut hole and it is only the beginning of May. He has only added one new prescription, Xarelto since last year and is entering the donut hole earlier than last year.

We can afford his co pays of $180 per month, that he paid at the pharmacy. The monthly Part D statement says the prescription drugs cost is $1250 per month. This confuses me?

Please give me options to help control this cost! Thanks Jennifer from Dallas, TX

Jennifer:

Your husband’s prescription drug problem is a typical problem since the cost of brand name prescriptions such as Xarelto have risen dramatically.  You can afford his $180 co pays, BUT… have no idea that the true cost of his prescription drugs is now $1250 each month.

Once his Medicare Part D prescription drug plan and the co pays he pays totals $4130 for 2021 for his covered drugs, then your husband has entered the famous “Donut Hole” or coverage gap.

He must pay to $6550 to get out of the “Donut hole”. He will pay 25% cost for a brand name drug and the brand name drug manufacturer will pay 70% of that covered brand name drug cost with the remaining 5% cost paid by the prescription drug plan which he enrolled in.

What happens if your brand name drug is not a “covered” brand name drug on your specific Part D plan?  Your husband will have to pay 100% of that brand name drug.

Generics cost a considerable amount less and for 2021, the cost is a 25% co pay of the generic cost instead of 25% co pay for the cost of an expensive brand name prescription drug when in the “Donut hole”.

That is why it is important when choosing a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan whether beginning Medicare for the first time or during Fall’s Medicare’s annual enrollment period to be sure all prescriptions are covered on one’s Medicare Part D plan.

Do research prior to enrolling in a Part D because one cannot change if the wrong choice for a Part D plan is made until Medicare’s next annual enrollment period which is from October 15^th to December 7^th every year.

January 1 of each year, the process starts all over again, with a new Medicare

2021 Confused about Medicare and LTC Zoom webinar is Thursday, July 29th at 4:00 PM. Visit www.tonisays.com to sign up for Toni’s new webinar event.

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