Medicare News
The average stand-alone Part D premium is $36 in 2027, while the Part D premium inside Medicare Advantage plans falls to $7. Here is how the numbers compare and what to check.
Stand-alone drug plans and drug coverage inside Medicare Advantage are heading in different directions. Here is how to read the numbers.
Stand-alone Part D plans, called PDPs, go with Original Medicare. CMS says the average monthly premium rises from $35.09 in 2026 to about $36 in 2027, an increase of less than $1. CMS also says 88% of people who do not get Extra Help can find a basic plan for $10.30 a month or less, and 93% can find an enhanced plan for under $6.
If your Medicare Advantage plan includes drug coverage, the drug part of your premium is averaging $7 a month in 2027 after rebates, down from $11.32 in 2026, a drop of 38%. That does not mean every plan is cheaper. It is an average across thousands of plans.
Since 2025, Part D has had a yearly cap on what you pay out of pocket for covered drugs. It is $2,100 in 2026 and is adjusted each year. Look up the 2027 amount in Medicare Plan Finder or your plan's materials. You can also ask to spread your drug costs into monthly payments through the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan.
A plan with a low premium can still have a deductible, high copays on the drugs you take, or a pharmacy network that does not include your pharmacy. Always check each of your prescriptions in the plan's formulary and see what tier it sits in. Plans change their formularies every year, so last year's plan may not cover this year's drugs the same way.
CMS says its Premium Stabilization Demonstration, which helped hold down Part D premiums, is set to be discontinued in 2027. That is one reason to compare plans now instead of letting your plan renew automatically.
Skyler Abilla is a licensed Medicare agent in Bluffton. Call (843) 284-6815 or book a free call and bring your medication list.
Source: CMS press release, "Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Programs Expected to Remain Stable in 2027," September 28, 2026.
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