Medicare Part D Health Article

Medicare Part D: Understanding the Dreaded Donut
Hole

The Donut Hole is a coverage gap in Medicare drug plans. After your plan has paid a certain amount for covered medications (no more than $2400),you will have to pay all costs for medications out of your own pocket until your drug costs hit the limit of $3850 – that's the donut hole.This does not include the monthly premium When you reach your plan's out-of-pocket imit your plan will convert to catastrophic coverage and you will pay a coinsurance amount for the remainder of the calendar year. The coinsurance amount is a 5% of the medication costs

Recommendations:

• Four million people faced the Donut Hole in 2006.so you may want to consider a plans that offers gap coverage.Evaluate your choices carefully - and weigh the difference for you between a higher monthly premium and gap coverage.

• Talk with your doctor about prescribing generic drugs when possible to reduce your costs.

• Use mail order and online pharmacy services to reduce costs.

• If you are struggling with the costs of a prescription, talk to your doctor to see if a less expensive alternative is available.

• Prevention is the best medicine. Make healthy choices today – in what you eat, what you do, and how you live – to prevent or improve the course of diseases that require prescription medications.

You can use Healthline's Part D Plan Selector to find which plan might be right for you. Click here to learn more.