24 Best Medicare Part D Plans in North Carolina for 2023

We found the 24 best Medicare Part D Plans in North Carolina for 2023.

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

The Four Phases of Every North Carolina Medicare Part D Plan

North Carolina Medicare prescription drug plansMedicare Part D plans are an option Medicare beneficiaries can use to get prescription drug coverage. Part D plans provide cost-sharing on covered medications in four different phases: deductible, initial coverage, coverage gap, and catastrophic. Each... 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 copayA copayment, also known as a copay, is a set dollar amount you are required to pay for a medical service. amount only until you reach the coverage gapA period of time in which you pay higher cost-sharing for prescription drugs until you spend enough to qualify for catastrophic coverage.. 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 2nd Phase is the Initial Coverage Limit (ICL)

The Part D ICL (Initial Coverage Limit) for 2023 is $4,660. During the ICL phase, your Part D plan will cover the majority of your prescription costs. If your prescription costs exceed $4,660 you go into the coverage gap phase ("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 drugsA generic drug is a prescription medication that has the same active ingredient formula as a brand-name drug. Generic drugs usually cost less than brand-name 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.

Catastrophic Coverage is the Fourth Phase

After you have spent $7,400 in true out-of-pocket costs on your medications, you get out of the coverage gap phase and you automatically receive "catastrophic coverage". In this phase, you will only have to pay a small percentage of coinsuranceCoinsurance is a percentage of the total you are required to pay for a medical service.  or payment on covered drugs for the rest of the year.

The out-of-pocket costsOut-of-Pocket Costs for Medicare are the remaining costs that are not covered by the beneficiary's health insurance plan. These costs can come from the beneficiary's monthly premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. that help you get catastrophic coverage include:

1. Your plan's deductible;
2. What you paid during the initial coverage limitOnce you have met your yearly deductible, you will pay a copayment or coinsurance for each covered drug until you reach the initial coverage limit. You will then enter your plan’s coverage gap (aka, “donut... 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 formularyA formulary is a list of prescription drugs covered by a prescription drug plan or another insurance plan offering prescription drug benefits. Medications not on a plan's formulary are generally not covered.. 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 MedicareOriginal Medicare is private fee-for-service health insurance for people on Medicare. It has two parts. Part A is hospital coverage. Part B is medical coverage., you can enroll in one of the stand-alone prescription drug plans available in North Carolina. The other way to get Part D coverage is to enroll in one of the many Medicare Advantage Plans available in North Carolina that include Part D benefits.

Using Supplemental Medicare Insurance with Part D

Are you thinking about supplemental Medicare insurance that can offer you more coverage? It's a smart move. Original Medicare only covers about 80 percent of your major medical bills, leaving you to cover the rest. We make it easy to find the lowest rates on North Carolina Medicare Supplements, also known as Medigap plans. The choice is yours because all Part D plans are compatible with the full range of North Carolina Medicare SupplementsMedicare Supplements are additional insurance policies that Medicare beneficiaries can purchase to cover the gaps in their Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B) health insurance coverage..

North Carolina Medicaid and Your Medicare Part D

North Carolina beneficiaries who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid (aka, "dual eligible" or "Medi-Medi") may be enrolled in a North Carolina 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 North Carolina Part D plan that does. If you are already receiving MedicaidMedicaid is a public health insurance program that provides health care coverage to low-income families and individuals in the United States., contact your local Medicaid office for assistance in the transition to Medicare.

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, "Catastrophic coverage", Last Accessed June 13, 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

This Medicare Part D plan state information page was last updated on January 17, 2023.