24 Best Medicare Part D Plans in Illinois for 2023

We found the 24 best Medicare Part D Plans in Illinois for 2023. Sign-up for 2024 Medicare Part D plan notification HERE.

We also ranked the best Medicare Advantage plans with Part D in Illinois for 2023.

The Four Phases of Every Illinois Medicare Part D Plan

Illinois Medicare prescription drug plans help beneficiaries pay for their prescription medications. If you are new to Medicare, some of the Part D plan concepts may be foreign to you. So we'll start with an overview of the four cost-sharing phases.

Phase 1 is the Deductible

A Medicare Part D plan's deductible is the amount you pay out-of-pocket before the initial coverage phase begins and the plan begins paying its share. So, if you enroll in a plan with a $225 deductible, you'll spend that much at the pharmacy for your prescriptions. After that amount, you will pay the copay amount only until you reach the coverage gap. Most Medicare prescription drug plans have a deductible, however, many plans exclude Tier 1 drugs from the deductible, which gives you first-dollar coverage on most lower-cost medications.

NOTE: The maximum Part D plan deductible in 2023 is $505.

The Initial Coverage Limit is the Second Phase

The 2023 Initial Coverage Limit (ICL) is $4,660. The ICL phase is when your Part D plan begins to pay the bulk of the costs. If your prescription costs exceed $4,660, you will enter the Coverage Gap phase (aka, "donut hole").

The Coverage Gap is the Third Phase

After your gross drug costs have reached $4,660, you will enter the Coverage Gap phase. This is where you will pay 25% of your medication's retail cost. While the price of generic drugs might not be much different, what you pay for brand-name drugs will be higher (because you're paying 25% of the full price). This will continue until you reach $7,400 in True Out Of Pocket Costs (TrOOP).

Some plans offer additional gap coverage, so look for it on the plan information pages.

The Fourth Phase is Catastrophic Coverage

All Part D plans offer catastrophic coverage once you have paid $7,400 in true out-of-pocket costs for covered drugs. This amount includes the cost of covered drugs as well as some additional costs. In the catastrophic coverage phase, your copays or coinsurance will be significantly lower for the remainder of the year.

The out-of-pocket costs that help you get catastrophic coverage include:

1. Your plan's deductible;
2. What you paid during the initial coverage limit period;
3. Most of the full cost of brand-name drugs (and the manufacturer’s discount) purchased in the coverage gap;
4. The amount paid by others, including family members, most charities, and other persons on your behalf; and
5. The amount paid by State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs (SPAPs), AIDS Drug Assistance Programs, and the Indian Health Service.

Choose Your Part D Plan with Care

Choose from the available Part D Medicare plans carefully, and don't settle on a Part D plan until you know that your most expensive medications are covered at a price you can afford. This information is available in the plan's formulary. You'll find links to the formulary information, pharmacy information, and the customer service phone number on each PDP page (above).

IMPORTANT: Identifying the best Medicare Part D Plans for you takes a bit of research. What's best for you is personal and must consider multiple factors, including your regular prescriptions, your health, and your finances.

Did you Know Most Medicare Advantage Plans Include Prescription Benefits?

Your Medicare benefits are flexible, and there's more than one way to get prescription drug coverage. If you want to keep your Original Medicare, you can enroll in one of the stand-alone prescription drug plans available in Illinois. The other way to get Part D coverage is to enroll in one of the many Medicare Advantage Plans available in Illinois that include Part D benefits.

Combining a Medicare Supplement and Medicare Part D Benefits

With Original Medicare you are responsible for paying about 20 percent of all hospital and medical bills. Without additional protection, even a brief hospital stay can cost you thousands out-of-pocket. That's why we maintain a complete directory of Illinois Medicare Supplement Insurance, also known as Medigap. We make it easy to find the best rates on the coverage you want. All Medicare supplements sold in Illinois plans are 100% compatible with Medicare Part D plans.

Illinois Medicaid and Your Medicare Part D

Illinois beneficiaries who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid (aka, "dual eligible" or "Medi-Medi") may be enrolled in a Illinois Medicare Prescription Drug Plan automatically, as well as Social Security's Extra Help program. The Extra Help program pays for most of your prescriptions, but only if you meet the strict eligibility requirements. If the dual eligible option does not meet your needs, you have the option to enroll in a Illinois Part D plan that does. If you are already receiving Medicaid, contact your local Medicaid office for assistance in the transition to Medicare.

Plans Offered

Medicare Advantage and Part D plans and benefits offered by the following carriers: Aetna Medicare, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aspire Health Plan, Centene Corporation, Dean Health Plan, Devoted Health, GlobalHealth, Health Care Service Corporation, Cigna-HealthSpring, Humana, Molina Healthcare, Mutual of Omaha, Oscar Health Insurance, Premera Blue Cross, Medica Central Health Plan, SCAN Health Plan, Scott and White Health Plan now part of Baylor Scott & White Health, and UnitedHealthcare.

Citations & References

1. Medicare.gov, "Drug coverage (part D)", Last Accessed September 21, 2022
2. Medicare.gov, "How Part D works with other insurance", Last Accessed July 14, 2022
3. Medicare.gov, "Costs for Medicare drug coverage", Last Accessed September 3, 2022
4. Medicare.gov, "Are prescription drugs covered in Medicare Advantage plans?", Last Accessed June 6, 2022
5. SSA.gov, "Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs", Last Accessed June 1, 2022
6. CMS.gov, "Landscape Source Files", Last Accessed January 15, 2023
7. CMS.gov, "Medicare Part C & D Performance", Last Accessed January 15, 2023