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2020 Medicare Part D
 » 
California

California Medicare Part D Plans (PDP) 2020 Medicare Prescription Drug Plans

On this page we help consumers: Compare 2020 Medicare Part D Plans available in California and find the best CA Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) by comparing premiums, deductibles, copays, and ratings.

  • Best Rating
  • Lowest Premium
  • Plan Name (a-z)

2020 Part D plans will be published here on or about 7 October. Until then current year plans will be available.

Changes to 2020 Medicare Part D in California

There are more California Medicare Part D Plans (PDPs) in 2020 than in previous years. The bad news is that the standard initial deductible is now $435 per year, that's an increase of $20 over last year. However, the Initial Coverage Limit increased 5% to a new high of $4,020.

2020 Medicare Part D Standard Initial Deductible

The initial deductible is the amount that you pay before your Medicare Part D plan begins paying its share of the costs. So, if you enroll in a 2020 prescription drug plan with a standard initial deductible, you'll spend $20 more out-of-pocket in 2020 before coverage begins. Most Medicare Part D plans have an initial deductible, but many popular Medicare Part D plans exclude Tier 1 and Tier 2 drugs from the deductible, giving immediate coverage on most lower-cost medications.

2020 Medicare Part D Initial Coverage Limit (ICL)

The 2020 Initial Coverage Limit (ICL) is $4,020, a 5% increase over last year. The Coverage Gap (donut hole) starts when you reach the ICL and ends when you spend a total of $5,100. The Initial Coverage Limit marks the coverage gap entry point. You enter the coverage gap when the total negotiated retail value of your prescription drug purchases exceed your plan’s Initial Coverage Limit.

Plan Name Monthly
Premium
Part D
Deduct.
LIS Plan
Type
Rating
Anthem Blue Cross MediBlue Rx Enhanced $20.60 $275 N Enhanced Anthem Blue Cross MediBlue Rx Enhanced
SilverScript Choice $30.50 $230 Y Basic SilverScript Choice
Anthem Blue Cross MediBlue Rx Plus $74.20 $0 N Enhanced Anthem Blue Cross MediBlue Rx Plus
Anthem Blue Cross MediBlue Rx Standard $77.80 $250 N Basic Anthem Blue Cross MediBlue Rx Standard
SilverScript Plus $97.60 $0 N Enhanced SilverScript Plus
WellCare Wellness Rx $13.70 $435 N Enhanced WellCare Wellness Rx
WellCare Value Script $16.80 $435 N Enhanced WellCare Value Script
Cigna-HealthSpring Rx Secure-Essential $22.20 $435 N Enhanced Cigna-HealthSpring Rx Secure-Essential
WellCare Medicare Rx Select $23.80 $385 N Enhanced WellCare Medicare Rx Select
AARP MedicareRx Saver Plus $30.80 $435 Y Basic AARP MedicareRx Saver Plus
WellCare Classic $31.30 $435 Y Basic WellCare Classic
Cigna-HealthSpring Rx Secure $33.30 $435 Y Basic Cigna-HealthSpring Rx Secure
WellCare Medicare Rx Saver $34.10 $435 N Basic WellCare Medicare Rx Saver
AARP MedicareRx Walgreens $34.20 $435 N Enhanced AARP MedicareRx Walgreens
Blue Shield Rx Plus $40.70 $435 N Basic Blue Shield Rx Plus
Cigna-HealthSpring Rx Secure-Extra $74.40 $100 N Enhanced Cigna-HealthSpring Rx Secure-Extra
WellCare Medicare Rx Value Plus $74.50 $0 N Enhanced WellCare Medicare Rx Value Plus
AARP MedicareRx Preferred $91.90 $0 N Enhanced AARP MedicareRx Preferred
Blue Shield Rx Enhanced $118.40 $0 N Enhanced Blue Shield Rx Enhanced
Humana Walmart Value Rx Plan $13.20 $435 N Enhanced Humana Walmart Value Rx Plan
EnvisionRxPlus $14.10 $435 Y Basic EnvisionRxPlus
Express Scripts Medicare Saver $28.50 $435 N Enhanced Express Scripts Medicare Saver
Humana Basic Rx Plan $33.00 $435 Y Basic Humana Basic Rx Plan
Express Scripts Medicare Value $57.70 $435 N Basic Express Scripts Medicare Value
Humana Premier Rx Plan $64.50 $435 N Enhanced Humana Premier Rx Plan
Express Scripts Medicare Choice $95.20 $250 N Enhanced Express Scripts Medicare Choice
Journey Rx Value $23.70 $435 N Enhanced Journey Rx Value
Journey Rx Standard $29.50 $435 Y Basic Journey Rx Standard
Mutual of Omaha Rx Value $23.10 $435 N Enhanced Mutual of Omaha Rx Value
Mutual of Omaha Rx Plus $51.70 $435 N Basic Mutual of Omaha Rx Plus

Will You Fall Into The 2020 Donut Hole?

An easy way to estimate if you will run out of coverage is to look at that average monthly cost of your medications. If your prescriptions have an average retail value of over $335 per month, you will enter the 2020 Donut Hole at some point in the year. This assumes that your current retail drug prices remaining stable.

The 2020 Donut Hole Discount is 75% for Generic Drugs

If you reach the 2020 Coverage Gap phase of your Part D coverage, the generic drug discount will be 75% (up from 63%). This means your generic drug costs in the Donut Hole will be 25% of your Part D plan's negotiated retail prices. What you pay counts towards your true out-of-pocket costs (This amount counts toward your TrOOP).

The 2020 Donut Hole Discount is 75% for Brand-Name Medications

The 2020 brand-name Coverage Gap discount remains the same at 75%. The pharmaceutical industry is responsible for picking up 70% of the cost of medications for beneficiaries in the Donut Hole. You get credit for 95% of the retail drug cost toward meeting your 2020 total out-of-pocket maximum or Donut Hole exit point.

How Much Will You Spend To Exit The Donut Hole in 2020?

Your Total Out-of-Pocket Cost (TrOOP) threshold will increase to $6,350 in 2020. That's $1,275 more than the 2019 TrOOP limit of $5,100. TrOOP is the dollar amount you'll spend to get out of the Donut Hole or Coverage Gap and into your Medicare Part D plan's Catastrophic Coverage phase.

It's important to remember that TrOOP doesn't include your monthly premiums or over the counter purchases. Some plans offer additional gap coverage, so look for it on the plan information pages.

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).

CRITICAL: The best Medicare Part D Plans for you can only be determined by factoring in what you can afford, your regular prescriptions and your health. A bit of time spent on research will pay off in the long run.

Medicare Part D is Included with Most California Medicare Advantage Plans

There's more than one way to get prescription drug coverage with your Medicare benefits. The first way is by enrolling in one of the Medicare Prescription Drug Plans listed above. The second way to get help paying for your prescriptions is through one of the California Medicare Advantage Plans that include Part D.

Using Supplement Insurance with Medicare Part D

Thinking about supplemental insurance that can offer you more coverage? It's a smart move. Even with the new health care law, Medicare only covers 80 percent of the hospital and doctor bills incurred by most seniors in the great state of California, leaving you to handle the rest. We make it easy to find the lowest price on the California Medicare Supplement, commonly called a Medigap plan, you want. The choice is yours, because all Medicare Part D plans are compatible with California Medigap plans.

Getting Medicare Part D with California Medicaid

If you meet the requirements for both Medicare and Medicaid (aka, dual eligible or Medi-Medi) in California, you will automatically receive a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, as well as Extra Help from Social Security. If you qualify for Extra Help, the program will cover most of the costs of your prescriptions. Even if you qualify, the dual eligible option may not suit your needs. In this case, enroll in the prescription drug plan of your choice. If you receive Medicaid now, call your local Medicaid office for assistance with your dual eligible benefits.

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PDP Eligibility and Availability

You are eligible to enroll in a California PDP plan if:

  • You are a resident of the state,
  • You are enrolled in Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B, and
  • You are age 65+ or have Medicare due to a qualifying disability.

All plans on this page are available to beneficiaries in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Anaheim, San Francisco, Oakland, Hayward, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ontario, San Diego, Carlsbad, Chula Vista, Sacramento, Roseville, San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Fresno, Bakersfield, Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Ventura, Sonoma, Napa, Stockton, Irvine, and all rural areas of California.

The Medicare Part D information on this page originates from CMS Landscape Source Files, is maintained by David Bynon, and was last updated on September 26, 2019.

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