2023 Medicare Part-D Plans in Minnesota



There are 24 Medicare Part-D Plans available in Minnesota from 9 different health insurance providers. You can choose from 5 prescription drug plans offering additional gap coverage. The plan with the lowest monthly premium is $4.70 and the highest monthly premium is $113.60. The highest best Part-D plan available in Minnesota received a 4 overall star rating from the CMS and the worst rated plan is 1.5 stars.



(Click the Plan Name for More Details)
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Plan Name Monthly
Premium
Annual
Deductible
Type Gap
Coverage
$0
Full LIS
2023 Plan
Stars
Rating
Wellcare Value Script (S4802-158) $7.50$505.00EnhancedNoNo
Wellcare Medicare Rx Value Plus (S4802-228) $71.40$0.00EnhancedNoNo
Wellcare Classic (S4802-089) $35.00$505.00BasicNoYes
SilverScript SmartSaver (S5601-200) $4.70$505.00EnhancedNoNo
SilverScript Plus (S5601-051) $82.40$0.00EnhancedYesNo
SilverScript Choice (S5601-050) $37.90$505.00BasicNoYes
Mutual of Omaha Rx Premier (S7126-094) $62.20$505.00EnhancedNoNo
Mutual of Omaha Rx Plus (S7126-024) $75.30$505.00BasicNoNo
Mutual of Omaha Rx Essential (S7126-127) $18.40$505.00EnhancedNoNo
MedicareBlue Rx Standard (S5743-001) $80.70$505.00BasicNoNo
MedicareBlue Rx Select (S5743-008) $17.30$505.00EnhancedNoNo
MedicareBlue Rx Premier (S5743-004) $113.60$0.00EnhancedYesNo
Humana Walmart Value Rx Plan (S5884-204) $30.50$505.00EnhancedNoNo
Humana Premier Rx Plan (S5884-171) $75.40$300.00EnhancedYesNo
Humana Basic Rx Plan (S5884-145) $37.00$505.00BasicNoYes
Elixir RxSecure (S7694-025) $73.20$505.00BasicNoNo
Clear Spring Health Value Rx (S6946-022) $33.00$505.00BasicNoYes
Clear Spring Health Premier Rx (S6946-051) $18.50$505.00EnhancedNoNo
Cigna Secure Rx (S5617-123) $37.00$505.00BasicNoYes
Cigna Saver Rx (S5617-375) $12.10$505.00EnhancedNoNo
Cigna Extra Rx (S5617-270) $56.70$100.00EnhancedYesNo
AARP MedicareRx Walgreens (S5921-406) $28.30$350.00EnhancedNoNo
AARP MedicareRx Saver Plus (S5921-370) $33.40$505.00BasicNoYes
AARP MedicareRx Preferred (S5820-024) $105.30$0.00EnhancedYesNo


Part D Changes in Minnesota, 2023

•24 stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plans are available in 2023. All individuals with Medicare have access to a Medicare prescription drug plan.

•100% of people with a stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plan have access to a plan with a lower premium than what they paid in 2022.

•19% of people with a stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plan get Extra Help (also called the low-income subsidy, or LIS).

•$4.70 is the lowest monthly premium for a stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plan.



Cost of Minnesota Medicare Part D

The right plan for you depends on your budget, prescription drug costs, and what you want to pay for deductibles and premiums. The cost of Medicare Part D can include a monthly premium, co-payments and co-insurance for specific drugs, a yearly deductible, a gap in coverage called the “Donut Hole,” and catastrophic coverage once a threshold amount has been met.

  • Monthly Premium
  • Yearly deductible
  • Coinsurance/ Copayments
  • Coverage gap costs
  • Late enrollment penalty
  • Discounts from additional help

The actual drug coverage costs may vary based on:

  • Specific prescriptions (whether prescribed drugs are listed on your plan)
  • What tier your prescribed drug is on
  • Phase of your drug benefit (whether you are in the catastrophic coverage phase or you have met the deductible)
  • Type of pharmacy you are using (whether it is listed on the preferred pharmacy network or offers standard/preferred cost sharing)
  • Generic brands are available in the market
  • Price of the brand drugs change
  • Newer medication becomes available
  • New information about side effects or disease prevention

Things to Consider in Your Medicare Plan D

PDP embraces different drug lists formularies, tiers, pharmacy networks, and drug coverage rules that impact the drug coverages of each plan and varies by location compared to Mississippi. So, it is recommended to conduct a detailed review of the plan's benefits before enrolling in any drug plan. Ensure you initially check the types of drugs covered in your specific plan.

Both formularies and tiers in your PDP determine whether your prescription drugs will be covered and their out-of-pocket costs. If beneficiaries need the medication outside the drug list approved by their plan, they are likely to face higher out-of-pocket costs for those drugs. Similarly, different tiers tend to have varying costs of your prescribed drugs. If you choose the drugs listed in the lower tiers, you’ll have lower copayments compared to the drugs in the higher tiers.


How Do to Choose a Medicare Part D Plan in Minnesota?

There are several factors that may impact your decision to choose a prescription drug plan. Before choosing any drug plan, ask yourself the following questions:

  • Specific prescriptions (whether prescribed drugs are listed on your plan)
  • How many medications do I take?
  • Are those medications available as generics?
  • Do I have any chronic illness that needs specific medications such as nebulizers, insulin, and others?

Check the drug coverage. If you want to enroll in Medicare Advantage Plan and want your prescription drug coverage as its part, you must review the drug coverage in detail. Ensure whether it will be enough to cover the needs of your prescription drugs.

Evaluate the Cost of the Plan. Since the cost of all plans differs, it is recommended you review the drug plan options considering monthly premiums and other related costs.


Preferred Pharmacy Networks

Part D plans also have pharmacy networks that impact the cost of prescription drugs. In other words, preferred pharmacy networks serve as the tool used by the (MA-PDs) Medicare Advantage plans and prescription drug plans (PDPs) in their respective Part D plan offerings.

Under the preferred arrangements of the pharmacy network, drug plans lower the negotiated prices for Part D drugs to specific retail pharmacies. These pharmacies, in exchange, reduce the drug prices for recipients on monthly premiums, co-insurance, and co-payments. This, in turn, creates a win-win situation for both beneficiaries and the government.


Coverage Rules

Plan D has certain coverage rules that include prior authorization, quantity limits, and step therapy that limit how and when beneficiaries will receive prescription drugs. Medicare formularies have specific restrictions on some drugs, including:

  • Prior Authorization. You may need to prove that you have met specific criteria to consume any drug.
  • Quantity Limits. Your plan may limit the frequency and dosage amount of any prescribed drug.
  • Step Therapy. Initially, you must try drugs of lower costs that have been effective for your medical condition before using the expensive form of drugs.
  • Opioid Safety Limits. Plan D often does not cover opioids, and usually, doctors work with the pharmacist and patient to determine the safe dosage level for each patient.


Last updated on

Source: CMS.gov
Plans as of October 1, 2022.
For More Information on Ratings Please See the CMS Tech Notes.
Plans are subject to change as contracts are finalized.
Includes 2023 approved contracts/plans. Employer sponsored 800 series plans and plans under sanction are excluded. For 2023, enhanced alternative plans may offer additional cost sharing reductions in the gap on a sub-set of the formulary drugs, beyond the standard Part D benefit.

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Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal.

Every year, Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-star rating system.