Will Medicare ever get rid of the donut hole?
Asked by: Madison Conroy | Last update: May 2, 2025Score: 5/5 (57 votes)
Is Medicare donut hole going away in 2025?
The drug law, known as the Inflation Reduction Act, requires CMS to establish a Part D manufacturer discount program beginning on January 1, 2025 as part of the redesign of Medicare Part D benefit. This program will replace the existing Coverage Gap Discount Program, which sunsets as of January 1, 2025.
How to get out of Medicare donut hole?
- Lower the costs of your prescription medications by choosing a Part D plan with a formulary that includes your medications.
- Shop around to see if you can find a pharmacy that offers your medications at a lower cost.
Will the donut hole ever go away?
It's important to know that starting in 2025, the Part D donut hole is eliminated. Instead, once your out-of-pocket prescription drug costs reach $2,000, you enter the catastrophic coverage phase—and pay nothing for covered medications for the rest of the year.
Who eliminated the Medicare donut hole?
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) signed by President Biden in 2022 will eliminate the Prescription Drugs Coverage Gap (known as the donut hole) for Seniors in 2025. Most Medicare drug plans have a coverage gap (also called the "donut hole").
Medicare Donut Hole Explained Simply
Can I use GoodRx if I'm in the donut hole?
Key takeaways:
You may want to consider using GoodRx instead of Medicare when Medicare doesn't cover your medication, when you won't reach your annual deductible, or when you're in the coverage gap phase (“donut hole”) of your Medicare plan.
What is the new Medicare rule for 2025?
Beginning January 1, 2025, people with Part D plans through traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage won't pay more than $2,000 over the calendar year in out-of-pocket costs for their prescription medications.
Is there a way to avoid the donut hole?
Tips on How to Avoid the Donut Hole Coverage Gap
Discuss lower-cost drug alternatives with your healthcare professionals. Seek out discounts on medications. Choose generic drugs over brand-name drugs.
How much will Medicare cost in 2025 for seniors?
The standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B enrollees will be $185.00 for 2025, an increase of $10.30 from $174.70 in 2024. The annual deductible for all Medicare Part B beneficiaries will be $257 in 2025, an increase of $17 from the annual deductible of $240 in 2024.
Is there any insurance that covers the donut hole?
No. There is no insurance that can help you cover costs in the donut hole. It's important to note that some Medigap or Medicare supplement plans cover deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments for Medicare Part A and Part B only.
Are there any Medicare plans that don't have a donut hole?
There is not a Medicare plan that covers the donut hole. You may wonder if a Medigap could help you avoid donut hole costs. Medigap policies are private Medicare supplement insurance plans that are sold to cover additional costs and some services not traditionally covered by Original Medicare.
What happens when you get out of the donut hole?
However, once a person crosses the donut hole, they reach “catastrophic coverage.” Once they reach this stage, they only need to pay about 5% of the cost of the prescription drugs. However, for many people in the U.S., getting to the stage of catastrophic coverage is problematic or impossible.
What is the donut hole limit in 2024?
In 2024, you would enter the donut hole once you and your Part D plan together spent $5,030 on covered drugs. You'd leave the donut hole when your out-of-pocket costs for covered drugs reached $8,000. As of 2025, there's no donut hole.
Why are hospitals refusing Medicare Advantage plans?
Among the most commonly cited reasons are excessive prior authorization denial rates and slow payments from insurers. In 2023, Becker's began reporting on hospitals and health systems nationwide that dropped some or all of their Medicare Advantage contracts.
What year will Medicare end?
A key trust fund underpinning the massive Medicare program has a new insolvency date: 2036, according to a new report from the Medicare trustees.
What is the maximum out-of-pocket for Part D in 2025?
In 2025, the coverage gap will be eliminated, and annual out-of-pocket Part D costs are capped at $2,000. This means if you take high-cost medications covered by Part D, you could see major savings. After meeting the out-of-pocket limit, you pay $0 for covered drugs for the rest of the year.
Does everyone have to pay $170 a month for Medicare?
Most people pay no premiums for Part A. For Medicare Part B in 2025, most beneficiaries will pay $185 per month. Certain factors may require you to pay more or less than the standard Medicare Part B premium in 2025.
Will Medicare run out of money in 2026?
In the 2024 Medicare Trustees report, the trustees project that reserves in the Part A trust fund will be depleted in 2036, 12 years from now. This is an improvement of five years from the projection in the 2023 Medicare Trustees report, when the depletion date was projected to be 2031 (Figure 2).
How do you qualify for $144 back from Medicare?
- Be enrolled Original Medicare (Parts A and B)
- Pay your own Part B premium.
- Live in the service area of a plan that offers a Part B giveback.
Is the donut hole going away?
Starting on January 1, 2025, the donut hole will be eliminated. And there will be a Part D $2,000 out-of-pocket spending cap, after which enrollees won't pay anything for covered medications for the rest of the year.
Does GoodRx count towards the donut hole?
Avoid falling into the Medicare donut hole too soon
You can use your Medicare plan for your more expensive brand drugs, and use GoodRx to purchase your less expensive generic medications. The cost of drugs purchased under GoodRx will not count against your coverage limit - thus keeping you out of the donut hole longer.
What is the Part D deductible for 2024?
For 2025, under the standard benefit, Part D enrollees will pay a deductible of $590 (up from $545 in 2024), and will then pay 25% of their drug costs in the initial coverage phase until their out-of-pocket spending totals $2,000.
Why do people say not to get a Medicare Advantage plan?
Disadvantages of Medicare Advantage plans can include difficulty switching out of the plans later, restrictions on care access, limited provider networks, and limitations on extra benefits.
What changes are coming to Medicare in 2024?
Medicare officials say about 8 percent of Medicare enrollees pay more than the standard monthly premium. The annual Part B deductible for original Medicare is also increasing, from $226 in 2023 to $240 in 2024. The deductibles for MA plans vary depending on what plan you pick and where you live.
Will Medicare be around in 10 years?
Barring major overhauls, projections indicate that Medicare's Hospital Insurance trust fund, which covers hospital benefits, will be unable to pay full benefits after 2036, and the Social Security trust fund, which covers retirees and their survivors, will be unable to pay full benefits after 2033.