If you do a google search on Medicare Prescription Drug Plan changes for 2025, you will see articles stating that the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 will lower drug costs for people on Medicare. While this is undoubtedly true, it is not the whole truth, and unfortunately, they are lying by omission.

First, let’s look at the positive effects of the Inflation Reduction Act on the 2025 Medicare Drug plans.
Facts on the changes in the 2025 drug plans:

• The maximum annual cost of prescription drugs will be capped at $2,000.
• All Medicare drug plans, including Medicare Advantage plans that offer prescription drug coverage, must allow patients to pay for their out-of-pocket prescription costs in monthly installments, with a monthly spending limit.
• Please note that Medicare recipients must enroll in the monthly payment plans as enrollment is not automatic.
• The Medicare Part D annual drug cap applies only to medications covered by a person’s prescription drug plan.

The dirty little secret that nobody wants to discuss with the Inflation Reduction Act is that there will be a significant increase in the premiums that Medicare Beneficiaries will pay for their Medicare Prescription Drug Plans.

So, while it is true that many people will pay less for the prescriptions, many more people will pay more for their drug plan premiums.

We don’t know how much more Medicare Drug Premiums will increase, but people in the industry expect prescription plan premiums to increase by 50% or more.

Drug plan pricing for 2025 will not be available until October 1, 2024.

I advise all my clients to run their drugs at the Medicare Plan Finder on the Medicare.gov website.

I will record a ” How-to Video” on using the plan finder, which will be available on my website in a few months. As always, I will run the drug plans for any clients who ask, but I want to let everyone know that I may not be able to accommodate everyone, so some people may have to run their own plans.

For those of you not taking any prescriptions, I will list the three lowest-cost drug plans on my website once the new plans become available.

If more information on the drug plans becomes available, I will include it in the Fall newsletter.

In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to call or email me.