Best Medicare Part D Plans for Washington Beneficiaries in 2024

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

We also ranked the best Medicare Advantage plans with Part D in Washington for 2024.

Washington Medicare Part D Plans Have Four Phases

Washington 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.

The Deductible Phase

Prior to a plan paying any of your prescription costs, you are required to pay the annual deductible. So, if you enroll in a 2023 plan with a $400 deductible, you'll spend $400 out-of-pocket before coverage begins. Most Medicare Part D plans have a deductible, but some plans exclude Tier 1 (generics), offering immediate coverage on low-cost medications.

NOTE: $505 is the maximum deductible a plan can have in 2023.

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").

Phase 3 is the Coverage Gap

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

Don't make a decision on your choice of Part D Medicare plans based on the premium and deductible alone. It's critical that you verify that your medications are covered. You find this information, and the co-payment tiers, in the formulary. On each PDP page (above) we post links to the formulary and pharmacy web pages, and the phone numbers to contact the plan.

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.

Medicare Part D is Included in Most Medicare Advantage Plans

Medicare realizes that one type of plan does not suit everyone. That's why there are two ways to get help with your prescription drug costs. All of the Medicare prescription drug plans available in Washington work with Original Medicare. That's one way to get coverage. But maybe you'd like even more benefits. That's where Washington Medicare Advantage Plans come in. Most offer Part D coverage.

Combining a Medicare Supplement and Medicare Part D Benefits

Medicare does not pay for all of your hospitalization and medical bills. In fact, Original Medicare only covers about 80 percent of your major medical costs. We keep an up-to-date directory of Washington Medigap Plans, also called Medicare Supplements, with the tools you need to find the best price and coverage. Medicare Part D plans are fully compatible with Washington Medigap plans.

Washington Medicaid and Your Medicare Part D

Washington beneficiaries who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid (aka, "dual eligible" or "Medi-Medi") may be enrolled in a Washington 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 Washington 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, "How Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage Works with a Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Cost Plan", Last Accessed September 28, 2022
2. Medicare.gov, "What Medicare Part D drug plans cover", Last Accessed August 1, 2022
3. Medicare.gov, "Costs for Medicare drug coverage", Last Accessed September 3, 2022
4. Medicare.gov, "What's Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap)?", Last Accessed June 7, 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