Medicare Part D Reviews: 2021 Prescription Drug Plan Providers

• by Christian Worstell
• February 22, 2021
• Reviewed by John Krahnert

A total of 996 Medicare Part D prescription drug plans are available for Medicare beneficiaries in 2021.¹ And consumers in some states may have as many as 30 different plans from which to choose, offered by several different insurance companies. 

You can compare Medicare prescription drug plans online or by calling to speak with a licensed insurance agent. You may be able to consider standalone Part D prescription drug plans or Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans that include prescription drug coverage.

Or call 1-800-557-6059 1-800-557-6059 TTY Users: 711 to speak with a licensed insurance agent. We accept calls 24/7!

You can also compare Part D plans and enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan online in as little as 10 minutes when you visit MyRxPlans.com.²

What is the best Part D drug plan for 2021?

Given the number of Part D drug plan choices in 2021, it helps to read up on some reviews of your options. Below is a review of 5 Medicare Part D providers.

Cigna Part D plans

Cigna offers three Medicare Part D plans that are available nationwide. The weighted average premium for these three plans in 2021 ranges from $24 to $50 per month. These three plans can feature copayments ranging from just $1 to $4 for Tier 1 (generic) drugs that are purchased in-network.¹

Cigna’s Part D plans can cover more than 3,000 different medications, and plan beneficiaries can access a network of over 67,000 pharmacies nationwide.

Humana Medicare Part D plans

Humana offers three Medicare Part D plans that are available nationwide. These three plans feature average premiums in 2021 that range from $17 to $65 per month. Plus, plans can feature $1 or $0 copays for preferred generic drugs.¹ 

Some of Humana’s Part D plans partner with Walmart pharmacies.

Humana Inc. was named Best in Customer Service 2020 among health insurance companies by Newsweek.

UnitedHealthcare Medicare prescription drug plans

UnitedHealthcare offers several Medicare Part D plans. There are three different plan options available nationwide, with weighted average premiums that can range from $33 to $89 per month and copays for preferred generic drugs that can range from $0 to $5.¹

UnitedHealth Group – the parent company of UnitedHealthcare – was ranked number 1 overall in the insurance and managed care sector on the 2019 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list from Fortune.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Part D plans

Anthem Blue Cross (Anthem) Medicare Part D plans can offer copays as low as $0, and some plans can feature $0 deductibles.

The Anthem network features over 68,000 pharmacies nationwide.

Aetna Medicare Part D plans

Aetna offers Medicare Part D plans, including the SilverScript Choice Part D plan, which is available nationwide. The 2021 weighted average premium for this Part D plan is $28 per month. Copays for preferred generic drugs can be as low as $0.¹

Aetna Medicare Advantage plans that include prescription drug coverage earned a Medicare Star Rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars in 2020, and the majority of Aetna Medicare plan members are in a plan rated 4.5 stars or higher out of 5 stars.³

Premiums for Medicare Part D plans can vary based on a number of factors such as age and location. Any prices mentioned above are based on averages reported by Kaiser Family Foundation.¹

Not all plans may be available in all locations. Your monthly premium may be higher if you waited to get Medicare prescription drug coverage. Copay and coinsurance amounts could be higher if you visit an out-of-network pharmacy, depending on what plan you choose.

Medicare Part D Star Ratings

Every year, Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-star rating system. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) uses a star ratings system to rate all Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans.

Criteria used for rating a plan includes:

1. Access to preventive medicine
2. Management of chronic conditions
3. Member experience
4. Member complaints
5. Customer service
6. Drug safety and drug pricing accuracy

When you shop for Medicare prescription drug plans available where you live, you can use the Medicare Star Ratings as one factor you consider to help you find the right plan for you.

A licensed insurance agent can help you compare the Star Ratings of plans that are available where you live. You can also compare the Star Ratings, costs and covered drugs of available plans online.

Or call 1-800-557-6059 1-800-557-6059 TTY Users: 711 to speak with a licensed insurance agent. We accept calls 24/7!

How to shop for a Medicare Part D plan

Some of the additional features you might find in some Part D plans could factor into your decision about what plan is best for you, such as:

• Mail-delivery service so you can have your drugs shipped right to your home
• Additional coverage in the Medicare Part D coverage gap (or “donut hole”)
• 24/7 customer service

When you’re comparing Medicare prescription drug plans, you may want to consider the following:

• Does the plan cover the drugs you currently take?
• Does the plan’s network include pharmacies that are close to your home or feature a mail delivery service?
• Would you rather pay a higher premium in exchange for a lower deductible and other cost-sharing? Or would you prefer to pay a lower monthly premium and potentially be responsible for more cost-sharing as you use the plan?
• What is the plan’s Medicare Star Rating?

Most Medicare Advantage plans include prescription drug coverage

Don’t forget that many Medicare Advantage plans also include prescription drug coverage.

Medicare Advantage plans provide all of the same benefits as Original Medicare (Part A and Part B). Some Medicare Advantage plans offer additional coverage for things like dental, vision, hearing, transportation and more.

When shopping for a Medicare prescription drug plan, you may want to review any Medicare Advantage plans available in your area that include prescription drug coverage. 

MedicareAdvantage.com customer reviews

Here at MedicareAdvantage.com, we care about our customers. Every 3 minutes on average, we help someone enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan.⁴

Don't just take our word for it. Check out some of these customer reviews.

Shopping for Medicare drug coverage

A licensed insurance agent can help you review Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plan options available in your area. They can go over the costs and benefits of each plan to help you make an informed decision.

If you’re eligible, an agent can also guide you through the enrollment process one step at a time over the phone or online.

Or call 1-800-557-6059 1-800-557-6059 TTY Users: 711 to speak with a licensed insurance agent. We accept calls 24/7!

¹ Cubanski, J., Damico, A. (Oct. 29, 2020). Medicare Part D: A First Look at Prescription Drug Plans in 2021. Kaiser Family Foundation. Retrieved from www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/medicare-part-d-a-first-look-at-prescription-drug-plans-in-2021.

² 10-minute claim is based solely on the time to complete the e-application if you have your Medicare card and other pertinent information available when you apply. The time to shop for plans, compare rates, and estimate drug costs is not factored into the claim. Application time could be longer. Actual time to enroll will depend on the consumer and their plan comparison needs.

³ Every year, Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-star rating system.

⁴ According to internal data from TZ Insurance Solutions in 2020.

About the author

Christian Worstell is a licensed insurance agent and a Senior Staff Writer for MedicareAdvantage.com. He is passionate about helping people navigate the complexities of Medicare and understand their coverage options.

His work has been featured in outlets such as Vox, MSN, and The Washington Post, and he is a frequent contributor to health care and finance blogs.

Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He currently lives in Raleigh, NC.

Where you've seen coverage of Christian's research and reports:

 

 

​

Read less