Health · Healthcare & Policy · 2 hrs ago
Medicare Drug Plan Premiums Set to Rise 50% in 2027
Stand-alone Medicare drug plan premiums are projected to rise 50% on average in 2027, from $34 to $51 a month, according to a KFF analysis.
The increase affects nearly 25 million people with these plans, while about 31 million people get drug coverage through Medicare Advantage plans.
Robert Travis Scott of Virginia switched plans after learning his monthly premium would jump from $39.60 to $121.90, and found a Humana plan for $19.30 with similar benefits.
People can switch during open enrollment through Dec.
7 to seek a lower-cost plan.
Medicare Advantage enrollees face a much smaller average increase in the part of their premium for drugs, but many people in both kinds of plans will also face higher deductibles in 2027.
Higher deductibles and coinsurance can add to costs, and coinsurance means paying a percentage of a drug’s price rather than a fixed amount.
A KFF analysis says average monthly premiums for stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plans are set to rise 50%, from $34 in 2026 to $51 in 2027.
Enrollees can avoid the average increase by switching to lower-cost plans during open enrollment, which runs through Dec. 7.
Nearly 25 million people are enrolled in stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plans, according to KFF.
The analysis says Medicare Advantage enrollees will pay an average of $9 a month for drug coverage in 2027, an increase of less than $2.
Average drug deductibles are also projected to rise in 2027 for both stand-alone and Medicare Advantage plans.
- Who
- Nearly 25 million people enrolled in stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plans.
- What
- Average monthly premiums are projected to rise 50% in 2027, from $34 to $51.
- When
- In 2027. Open enrollment runs through Dec. 7.
- Where
- United States.
- Why
- The article does not state a definitive cause for the projected premium increases.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Trump said at a campaign rally in Ohio that the United States had the lowest drug prices in the world.
Robert Travis Scott switched from his AARP-UnitedHealthcare drug plan to a lower-cost Humana plan after receiving notice of a premium increase.
Medicare enrollees can use the open enrollment period to switch to lower-cost plans.
Average monthly premiums for stand-alone Medicare drug plans are projected to rise from $34 to $51.
- Average stand-alone premium
- $51 a month in 2027, up from $34 in 2026
- Average stand-alone deductible
- $643 in 2027, up from $540 in 2026
- Medicare Advantage drug coverage
- Average $9 a month in 2027, an increase of less than $2
- Stand-alone plan enrollment
- Nearly 25 million people
- Open enrollment deadline
- Dec. 7
What people are saying
Yes, I am quite happy about that
With some plans increasing premiums substantially, the stakes are higher this year for people with Medicare stand-alone drug coverage if they sit on the sidelines during open enrollment
We have the lowest drug prices anywhere in the world. We went from the highest drug prices, we now have the lowest drug prices, favored nations, anywhere in the world.