Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D)
Medicare prescription drug coverage, aka Part D, is offered as a stand-alone plan or prescription drug coverage included in a Medicare Advantage Plan (MAPD).
Who is eligible?
Individuals who are enrolled in Medicare Part A and/or eligible or enrolled in Medicare Part B are able to enroll in a Medicare Part D plan.
However, the enrollee can only enroll in a Part D plan during an enrollment period. Learn about the different enrollment periods
When to enroll?
A Medicare beneficiary may enroll in a Part D plan, but only during an enrollment period.
If you are looking to enroll in a Medicare Part D plan, it is best to contact Medicare to check which enrollment period would work best for you. Or, you can contact a professional who has experience with Medicare plan enrollments.
Important:
It is important to understand the late enrollment penalty for Part D.
A late enrollment penalty fee can occur at the time of enrolling in a plan that has drug coverage, IF an individual did not obtain coverage when medicare-eligible (age 65) AND the individual did not have creditable drug coverage for the period after becoming Medicare-eligible.