Medicare
prescription drug coverage is available in two forms. However, in order
to get Medicare drug coverage, individuals must be eligible or enrolled
in Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B, which covers hospital and
medical care, such as doctors’ visits and necessary tests.
Medicare
drug plans are available in programs such as Medicare advantage. Those
programs allow Medicare recipients to take advantage of additional
coverage options, such as dental care and prescription drug coverage.
Individuals must pay an addition fee for the program and the cost will
depend on the type of coverage selected. In some cases, individuals will
find that the program covers their co-payments, as well as deductibles
which they would be responsible for in the traditional Medicare program.
Medicare
drug plans which are purchased as part of Medicare advantage plan may
still incur a co-payment for prescriptions. There will likely be a list
of covered medications, including the cost of the co-payment for each
medication. In general, Medicare drug coverage includes free or very
inexpensive generic drugs, with some brands names incurring a large
co-payment.
Those
that select Medicare prescription drug coverage separate from a
Medicare advantage plan will likely find similar payment plans. However,
they may have higher co-payments, as this program does not generally
assist in paying deductibles and co-payments for the Medicare recipient.
