Part D Premiums in 2027: What the $36 Average Leaves Out

Of all the 2027 Medicare numbers, the stand-alone Part D premium looks like the calmest: an average of about $36 a month, barely a dollar more than this year. It is tempting to read that as "nothing is changing" and let your drug plan renew itself. That would be a mistake.

The average is calm because it blends plans moving in opposite directions. What your premium will be in 2027 depends on your plan — and what you will actually spend depends on three things the premium never shows: the deductible, your drug list, and your pharmacy. Here is how to check all of them before December 7.

1. The $36 Average, and the Program That Used to Hold It Down

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) projects the average premium for stand-alone Part D plans at about $36 a month in 2027, up from $35.09 in 2026. Behind that gentle slope is a policy change: a temporary federal demonstration program that paid plans to keep premiums down in 2025 and 2026 has ended.

Without that support, plans are repricing on their own. Some premiums are nearly flat; others are rising sharply. Analysts also note there will be no stand-alone Part D plans with a $0 premium in 2027 for people who do not receive Extra Help. If your plan's 2027 premium, printed in your Annual Notice of Change, jumped well beyond a dollar or two, that is your signal to compare — the average says other plans priced this year differently.

2. What the Premium Hides, Part One: The $700 Deductible

Under the standard Part D benefit, the maximum deductible rises to $700 in 2027, up from $615 in 2026. Until you have paid that amount for covered drugs, you are paying the plan's negotiated prices largely out of your own pocket.

Plans differ in how they apply it. Some charge less than $700, a few charge none, and some apply the deductible only to drugs on higher tiers, so your everyday generics may be covered from the first fill of the year. Two plans with identical premiums can therefore treat your January very differently. When you compare, find the deductible line and check which of your medications it applies to — especially if you fill an expensive prescription early in the year.

3. What the Premium Hides, Part Two: Your Drugs and Their Tiers

Every Part D plan keeps a formulary — its list of covered drugs, sorted into tiers with different costs. Lower tiers usually mean fixed, modest copays. Higher tiers often mean coinsurance, a percentage of a price that can be startling for specialty medicines. Plans may also require prior authorization or step therapy before covering a drug.

Formularies change every year. A drug that sat comfortably on a low tier in 2026 can move up, gain a restriction, or leave the list. The only reliable check is personal: take your actual medication list, with dosages, and look up each drug in each plan you are considering. The Plan Compare tool at Medicare.gov does this arithmetic for you once you enter your list — it is the single most useful half hour of this enrollment season if you take regular prescriptions.

4. What the Premium Hides, Part Three: Your Pharmacy's Status

Part D plans negotiate with pharmacy networks, and most plans sort pharmacies into preferred and standard cost-sharing levels. The same prescription, in the same plan, can cost noticeably more at a standard pharmacy than at a preferred one. Mail-order pharmacies sometimes offer the preferred price on 90-day supplies.

Networks change, too. If your neighborhood pharmacy drops from preferred to standard status in your plan for 2027, every refill quietly costs more all year — a change no premium headline will ever mention. When you run a comparison, enter the pharmacy you actually use, and check its status in each plan. If another plan keeps your pharmacy preferred, that fact alone can outweigh a difference in premiums.

5. Compare on Total Yearly Cost: A Short Checklist

• Premium: The plan's 2027 monthly premium, multiplied by 12
• Deductible: Up to $700 in 2027 — and which of your drugs it applies to
• Drug costs: Your medications, at their 2027 tiers, across a full year
• Pharmacy: Your pharmacy's preferred or standard status in the plan
• Total: Add the four lines. That sum — not the premium — is the price of the plan

If comparing feels overwhelming, your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) offers free, unbiased help, and counselors there work with these exact questions every day. Bring your medication list and your current plan's notice, and they will help you run the numbers for your situation.

Key Takeaway

The projected $36 average stand-alone Part D premium for 2027 is only the entry fee. The real cost of a drug plan lives in its deductible — up to $700 next year — in the tiers your personal medications land on, and in whether your pharmacy keeps its preferred status. Before December 7, compare plans on your estimated total yearly cost using your own drug list at Medicare.gov. A plan with a slightly higher premium regularly wins that comparison, and a plan with a bargain premium regularly loses it.

This article was written with the help of generative AI.

For general information only, not medical advice.

Consult a qualified professional for your situation.

Medicare Part D Premiums Could Jump to $51 in 2027 If You Stay Put: What to Compare Before December 7

Direct answer: A KFF analysis published October 30, 2026 projects that the average monthly premium for a stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan (PDP) will rise from $34 in 2026 to $51 in 2027, an increase of 50%, if current enrollees keep the same plan. Medicare Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage runs October 15, 2026 through December 7, 2026. That $51 figure is a "stay put" average, not a bill every enrollee will receive: KFF itself expects the actual average to be lower once people switch plans during open enrollment, so comparing your own plan before December 7 matters more than ever this year.

Why are there two different 2027 premium averages?

Two widely quoted numbers describe different questions. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) projected a national average stand-alone Part D premium of $36 for 2027, up by less than $1 from $35. KFF projected $51, based on June 2026 enrollment and assuming enrollees keep their current plans. KFF notes that CMS did not explain its calculation method and that CMS may have assumed switching to lower-cost plans, which would produce a lower average. In other words, the CMS figure describes the market if people shop around; the KFF figure describes what happens if they do not. Neither number is your plan's price. Your premium depends on your plan, your region, and the drugs you take.

Measure	2026	2027 (projected, if you stay in the same plan)
Stand-alone Part D plan (PDP), average monthly premium, KFF	$34	$51 (up 50%, a $17 increase)
Stand-alone Part D plan, national average monthly premium, CMS	$35	$36 (up less than $1)
Drug coverage inside a Medicare Advantage plan (MA-PD), average monthly premium, KFF	Not given as a single comparable average in the KFF summary	About $9 (up less than $2)

For clarity: the MA-PD drug premium is estimated at about $9 per month in 2027, more than five times lower than the $51 PDP average. That gap is one reason the same "Part D premium" headline can sound very different depending on whether drug coverage comes from a stand-alone plan or from a Medicare Advantage plan.

Who faces a higher premium if they make no change?

KFF estimates that, among 13.6 million stand-alone plan enrollees who do not receive Part D Low-Income Subsidies (LIS), 10.4 million (76%) will pay a higher monthly premium in 2027 if they keep their current plan. That group includes 4.1 million people enrolled in zero-premium plans in 2026 who will face a higher premium next year because no zero-premium stand-alone plans are available in 2027 for enrollees without LIS. Of the 10.4 million facing an increase, 2.4 million would see their monthly premium rise by more than $50 if they stay put, compared with only 38,000 enrollees who faced an increase larger than $50 per month in 2026.

At the same time, the average hides a wide spread. If enrollees without LIS keep their current plans, more than half (55%, or 7.5 million) will pay less than $20 per month, while nearly 30% (3.9 million) will pay $100 per month or more. Among the eight national stand-alone plans, average monthly premiums for 2027 are projected to range from around $6 to $204: Centene's Wellcare Value Script Rx averages $6.50 (up from $5.80 in 2026), while United's AARP Medicare Rx Preferred averages $204.50 (up from $126.00 in 2026). Averages also vary by region for the same plan, so a national average is only a starting point.

Why did the stay-put average rise so much?

A major reason is the end of the Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration after 2026. That program provided additional premium subsidies to plan sponsors and capped the maximum allowable monthly premium increase at $50 for 2026. With the demonstration discontinued, that cap and those subsidies no longer hold 2027 premiums down in the same way. KFF also notes that the average beneficiary has 9 stand-alone plans and 28 Medicare Advantage drug plans to choose from, so shopping is possible, but only if you compare before the deadline.

What else should you check besides the premium?

• Your deductible. The average Part D deductible in 2027 is projected at $643 for stand-alone plan enrollees (up from $540 in 2026) and $489 for Medicare Advantage drug plan enrollees (up from $360). The standard Part D deductible rises from $615 to $700. Virtually all stand-alone plan enrollees (99.8%) and 85% of Medicare Advantage drug plan enrollees will be in plans that charge a deductible in 2027, if they do not switch.
• Your drug list and cost sharing. Virtually all stand-alone plan enrollees will face coinsurance rather than a fixed copayment for preferred brands (median 25%) and non-preferred drugs (median 35%) in 2027. Coinsurance is a percentage, so your cost moves with the drug price.
• Your Annual Notice of Change. Compare your 2027 premium, deductible, drug tiers, and pharmacy network with your 2026 coverage, not just the headline average.
• Help with costs. People with limited income and resources may qualify for Extra Help (the Part D Low-Income Subsidy), which changes the premium picture substantially. Check eligibility even if you did not qualify before.

How can you compare 2027 drug plans?

Use the Medicare Plan Finder at Medicare.gov: enter your medicines and pharmacies, then compare total yearly cost, not premium alone. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or contact your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for free, individual help. People who want to keep their current coverage generally do not need to re-enroll, but this year, doing nothing is itself a choice with a projected average cost: $51 per month for stand-alone drug coverage, versus a lower average if you switch to a cheaper plan.

Frequently asked questions

Will my stand-alone drug plan premium really be $51 in 2027?
Not necessarily. $51 is KFF's projected enrollment-weighted average if current enrollees keep the same plan. Your premium could be well below $20, or $100 or more, depending on your plan and region. Check your plan's 2027 premium in your Annual Notice of Change or on Medicare.gov.

Why does CMS say the average is only $36?
CMS projected a national average of $36 based on September 2026 enrollment, without explaining its method. KFF suggests CMS may have assumed that enrollees switch to lower-cost plans. The two figures answer different questions, so they are not a contradiction to pick a side on: they are a reason to check your own plan.

Are zero-premium stand-alone drug plans gone in 2027?
For enrollees without Low-Income Subsidies, KFF finds no zero-premium stand-alone plans available in 2027. That is why 4.1 million people in zero-premium plans in 2026 face a higher premium next year if they stay put.

When does 2027 coverage start?
Medicare Open Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, for coverage starting January 1, 2027. Changes made by December 7 apply to 2027 coverage.

Key takeaway

KFF projects that stand-alone Part D premiums will average $51 per month in 2027, up 50% from $34, if enrollees stay in the same plan, while CMS projects a national average of $36, a difference explained largely by whether switching is assumed. About 10.4 million stand-alone plan enrollees without low-income subsidies face a higher premium if they make no change, including 2.4 million facing an increase of more than $50 per month, and no zero-premium stand-alone plans are available for that group in 2027. The practical point is simple: before December 7, 2026, compare your own plan's premium, deductible, drug list, and total cost on Medicare.gov, because the average you end up paying depends on whether you shop.

Sources

• KFF, Medicare Part D Premiums and Cost Sharing in 2027, published October 30, 2026 — https://www.kff.org/medicare/medicare-part-d-premiums-and-cost-sharing-in-2027/
• KFF press release, The Average Monthly Premium for Medicare Part D Stand-Alone Plans Is Projected to Increase by 50% From $34 to $51 in 2027 Unless Enrollees Switch to Lower-Cost Plans, published October 30, 2026 — https://www.kff.org/medicare/the-average-monthly-premium-for-medicare-part-d-stand-alone-plans-is-projected-to-increase-by-50-from-34-to-51-in-2027-unless-enrollees-switch-to-lower-cost-plans/
• CMS press release, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Programs Expected to Remain Stable in 2027, published September 28, 2026 — https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/medicare-advantage-medicare-prescription-drug-programs-expected-remain-stable-2027

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This post was created with the help of AI and is for general information only. It is not medical, legal, or financial advice, and it does not replace guidance from a licensed professional, a Medicare counselor, or an official source such as Medicare.gov, CMS, or KFF. If a detail affects your coverage or your premium, please confirm it with Medicare or a qualified professional before acting.

Medicare GLP-1 Bridge: Weight-Loss Drugs for a Flat $50 a Month

Since July 1, 2026, Medicare has run a demonstration program called the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, and it does something Medicare had never done before: it covers certain weight-loss GLP-1 medications for a flat copay of $50 a month, regardless of your income or your dose. The program is open to people enrolled in Medicare Part D, it runs through December 31, 2027, and prior authorization is required. Here is who qualifies, which drugs are in, and the one catch you need to know before you count on the savings.

Which Drugs Does the GLP-1 Bridge Cover?

Only three products are in the Bridge, and the details matter. The program is administered centrally by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), not by your individual Part D plan, and the details are published at Medicare.gov/glp1bridge.

Medication	In the Bridge?	Notes
Wegovy	Yes	Both the injection and the tablet form
Zepbound	Partly	Only the KwikPen; single-dose pens and vials are excluded
Foundayo (orforglipron)	Yes	Tablet form
Ozempic, Mounjaro, Rybelsus	No	These are covered for diabetes through regular Part D rules, not the Bridge

The most common source of confusion is the brand name. Ozempic and Wegovy contain the same ingredient, but only Wegovy — the version approved for weight management — is in the Bridge. If you take a GLP-1 for diabetes, your coverage continues under your Part D plan as before.

Who Qualifies? The BMI Rules

Eligibility is based on body mass index (BMI) plus, at lower BMI levels, a related health condition:

• BMI of 35 or higher: You qualify on BMI alone.
• BMI of 30 or higher: You qualify if you also have heart failure, uncontrolled high blood pressure, or chronic kidney disease at stage 3a or worse.
• BMI of 27 or higher: You qualify if you also have prediabetes or a history of heart attack, stroke, or peripheral artery disease.

Your prescriber documents this as part of the prior authorization. If your BMI is below 27, the Bridge does not apply, and weight-loss medication coverage would depend on your plan's regular rules — which, for most Part D plans, means it is not covered at all.

What Is the Catch? The $50 Does Not Count Toward Your Cap

The $50 copay is genuinely flat — it does not change with your income or your dose. But there is a trade-off built into the design: Bridge payments do not count toward your Part D deductible or your annual out-of-pocket cap.

That matters if you take other expensive prescriptions. Money you spend through the Bridge does not move you closer to the point where your other covered drugs become free for the rest of the year. Run both numbers — your expected Bridge copays and your other drug spending — before assuming the program is the cheapest route for your whole medication list.

How Do You Enroll?

There is no separate application form for you to file. Talk with the clinician who manages your weight care, confirm that your BMI and health history fit one of the groups above, and ask them to submit the prior authorization with the drug — Wegovy, the Zepbound KwikPen, or Foundayo — that fits your situation. Because CMS runs the Bridge centrally, the process is the same whatever Part D plan you have.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the $50 copay depend on my income?
No. According to CMS, the Bridge copay is a flat $50 a month, the same for everyone in the program, whatever the dose.

Is Ozempic covered by the Bridge?
No. Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Rybelsus are outside the Bridge. They remain Part D drugs for diabetes under your plan's normal rules.

When does the Bridge end?
December 31, 2027. It is an 18-month demonstration, so coverage under these terms is not permanent. If you start a medication through the Bridge, ask early what your options will be when the program ends.

Can I use the Bridge if I have a Medicare Advantage plan?
The Bridge is for people with Part D drug coverage, which includes Medicare Advantage plans that include drug coverage. The prior authorization is handled through the CMS process, not your plan's own drug rules.

Key Takeaway

The Medicare GLP-1 Bridge offers eligible Part D enrollees Wegovy, the Zepbound KwikPen, or Foundayo for a flat $50 a month from July 1, 2026 through December 31, 2027. Qualification turns on BMI: 35 or higher on its own, 30 or higher with heart failure, uncontrolled hypertension, or stage 3a kidney disease, and 27 or higher with prediabetes or a history of heart attack, stroke, or peripheral artery disease. Remember the trade-off — Bridge copays do not count toward your Part D deductible or out-of-pocket cap — and discuss the full picture with your doctor and pharmacist before you start.

This article was written with the help of generative AI.

For general information only, not medical advice.

Consult a qualified professional for your situation.

Medicare Part D Drug Costs in 2027: Deductible, Tiers, and the $2,400 Out-of-Pocket Cap

Have you ever picked up a regular prescription in January and been startled by the price — then paid a fraction of it for the same drug later in the year? That is not a pharmacy error. It is the structure of Medicare Part D, and once you understand its three phases, your drug costs for the whole year become much easier to predict.

Here is how Part D spending works in 2027: where the money goes, when it stops, and the options that can soften the ride.

1. The Three Phases of Part D Spending in 2027

Since a major redesign took effect in 2025, Part D has three phases instead of the old four — the confusing "donut hole" coverage gap is gone. You move through the phases based on what you have spent on covered drugs during the year:

1. The deductible phase — you pay the full cost of your drugs at the start of the year
2. The initial coverage phase — you and your plan share the cost
3. The catastrophic phase — once you reach the yearly cap, you pay $0 for covered drugs the rest of the year

Two figures from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) anchor everything in 2027: a standard deductible of $700 and an out-of-pocket cap of $2,400.

2. Phase One: The Deductible — Up to $700 in 2027

In 2027, the standard Part D deductible is $700, up from $615 in 2026. Until you have paid that amount for covered drugs, you generally pay the plan's negotiated price in full.

Plans vary within that ceiling. Some charge the full $700, some charge less, and some have no deductible at all. Many plans also cover certain inexpensive generic drugs before the deductible, so your first fill of the year may not be as painful as the headline number suggests. What your plan actually charges is in your plan's documents — it is worth a look before January.

3. Phase Two: Initial Coverage — Sharing the Cost by Tier

Once the deductible is met, you pay a copay (a flat amount) or coinsurance (a percentage) for each prescription, and your plan pays the rest. How much you pay depends on which tier your drug sits on in the plan's formulary — its official drug list. A typical structure looks like this:

• Tier 1 — preferred generics: often just a few dollars
• Tier 2 — other generics: a modest copay
• Tier 3 — preferred brand-name drugs: a larger copay or percentage
• Tier 4 — non-preferred drugs: often coinsurance, a percentage of a big price
• Tier 5 — specialty drugs: the highest coinsurance, for complex medications

Every plan builds its own tiers, which is why the same medication can cost $15 a month in one plan and $90 in another. This is also why comparing plans using your real medication list, each fall, is the single most valuable hour in Medicare housekeeping.

4. Phase Three: The $2,400 Cap — Then $0

Everything you pay in the first two phases counts toward the yearly cap. In 2027, once your out-of-pocket spending on covered drugs reaches $2,400 (up from $2,100 in 2026), you enter the catastrophic phase and pay $0 for covered drugs for the rest of the calendar year.

Two details matter. First, your monthly premium does not count toward the cap — only what you pay for the drugs themselves. Second, the cap applies to drugs your plan covers; spending on a drug that is not on your plan's formulary generally does not move you toward it. For anyone on an expensive medication, this cap is the difference between a hard year and a manageable one — and knowing it exists lets you plan the year calmly.

5. Insulin: Capped at $35 a Month

If you use insulin, one rule stands apart from the phases: your cost for each covered insulin product is capped at $35 per month's supply, and the deductible does not apply to insulin. This protection continues in 2027 and applies in both stand-alone Part D plans and Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage. Recommended adult vaccines, such as the shingles and RSV vaccines, are also covered at no cost to you under Part D.

6. The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: Smoothing, Not Saving

If your drug costs bunch up early in the year, the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan may help with cash flow. It is a voluntary option offered by every Part D plan: instead of paying at the pharmacy counter, your out-of-pocket drug costs are billed to you in monthly installments spread across the rest of the year.

Be clear about what it does and does not do. It spreads your costs; it does not reduce them — your yearly total, capped at $2,400 in 2027, is the same either way. It tends to help most if you join early in the year and expect high costs up front. You sign up through your plan, and if you change plans, you would need to enroll again with the new one.

7. Extra Help: If Paying Is Still Hard

If your income and resources are limited, you may qualify for Extra Help (also called the Low-Income Subsidy), a federal program that pays much of your Part D premium, deductible, and drug copays. People who receive it often pay only a few dollars per prescription. Many people qualify without realizing it — some are enrolled automatically through Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income, and everyone else can apply through the Social Security Administration at any time of year. It costs nothing to check.

Key Takeaway

Part D in 2027 runs on three numbers: a deductible of up to $700, your tier-based copays after that, and a firm out-of-pocket cap of $2,400 — beyond which covered drugs cost you $0 for the year. Insulin stays capped at $35 a month, the Prescription Payment Plan can spread big early costs across the calendar, and Extra Help can quietly cut costs for those who qualify. Know your phase, know your tiers, and the pharmacy counter holds far fewer surprises.

This article was written with the help of generative AI.

For general information only, not medical advice.

Consult a qualified professional for your situation.