Here are the highlights for the CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)Part D Standard Benefit Plan changes from 2016 to 2017. The chart below shows the Standard Benefit design changes for plan years 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. This “Standard Benefit Plan” is the minimum allowable plan to be offered.
- Initial Deductible:
will be increased by $40 to $400 in 2017. - Initial Coverage Limit:
will increase from $3,310 in 2016 to $3,700 in 2017. - Out-of-Pocket Threshold:
will increase from $4,850 in 2016 to $4,950 in 2017. - Coverage Gap (donut hole):
begins once you reach your Medicare Part D plan’s initial coverage limit ($3,700 in 2017) and ends when you spend a total of $4,950 in 2017.
In 2017, Part D enrollees will receive a 60% discount on the total cost of their brand-name drugs purchased while in the donut hole. The 50% discount paid by the brand-name drug manufacturer will apply to getting out of the donut hole, however the additional 10% paid by your Medicare Part D plan will not count toward your TrOOP.
For example: if you reach the donut hole and purchase a brand-name medication with a retail cost of $100, you will pay $40 for the medication, and receive $90 credit toward meeting your 2017 total out-of-pocket spending limit.
Enrollees will pay a maximum of 51% co-pay on generic drugs purchased while in the coverage gap (a 49% discount). For example: If you reach the 2017 Donut Hole, and your generic medication has a retail cost of $100, you will pay $51. The $51 that you spend will count toward your TrOOP. - Minimum Cost-sharing in the Catastrophic Coverage Portion of the Benefit**:
will increase to greater of 5% or $3.30 for generic or preferred drug that is a multi-source drug and the greater of 5% or $8.25 for all other drugs in 2016. - Maximum Co-payments below the Out-of-Pocket Threshold for certain Low Income Full Subsidy Eligible Enrollees:
will increase to $3.30 for generic or preferred drug that is a multi-source drug and $8.25 for all other drugs in 2017.
(Sources: Facts courtesy of CMS.gov, Chart courtesy of q1medicare.com)
| Medicare Part D Benefit Parameters for Defined Standard Benefit 2013 through 2017 Comparison |
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| Part D Standard Benefit Design Parameters: | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
| Deductible – (after the Deductible is met, Beneficiary pays 25% of covered costs up to total prescription costs meeting the Initial Coverage Limit. | $400 | $360 | $320 | $310 | $325 |
| Initial Coverage Limit – Coverage Gap (Donut Hole) begins at this point. (The Beneficiary pays 100% of their prescription costs up to the Out-of-Pocket Threshold) | $3,700 | $3,310 | $2,960 | $2,850 | $2,970 |
| Out-of-Pocket Threshold – This is the Total Out-of-Pocket Costs including the Donut Hole. | $4,950 | $4,850 | $4,700 | $4,550 | $4,750 |
| Total Covered Part D Drug Out-of-Pocket Spending including the Coverage Gap – Catastrophic Coverage starts after this point.
See note (1) below. |
$7,425.00 (1) | $7,062.50 (1) | $6,680.00 (1) | $6,455.00 (1) | $6,733.75 (1) |
| Total Estimated Covered Part D Drug Out-of-Pocket Spending including the Coverage Gap Discount (NON-LIS) See note (2). | $8,071.16
plus a60% brand discount |
$7,515.22
plus a55% brand discount |
$7,061.76
plus a55% brand discount |
$6,690.77
plus a52.50% brand discount |
$6,954.52
plus a52.50% brand discount |
| Catastrophic Coverage Benefit: | |||||
| Generic/Preferred Multi-Source Drug (3) |
$3.30 (3) | $2.95 (3) | $2.65 (3) | $2.55 (3) | $2.65 (3) |
| Other Drugs (3) | $8.25 (3) | $7.40 (3) | $6.60 (3) | $6.35 (3) | $6.60 (3) |
| Part D Full Benefit Dual Eligible (FBDE) Parameters: | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
| Deductible | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Copayments for Institutionalized Beneficiaries |
$0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Maximum Copayments for Non-Institutionalized Beneficiaries | |||||
| Up to or at 100% FPL: | |||||
| Up to Out-of-Pocket Threshold | |||||
| Generic/Preferred Multi-Source Drug |
$1.20 | $1.20 | $1.20 | $1.20 | $1.15 |
| Other | $3.70 | $3.60 | $3.60 | $3.60 | $3.50 |
| Above Out-of-Pocket Threshold |
$0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Over 100% FPL: | |||||
| Up to Out-of-Pocket Threshold | |||||
| Generic/Preferred Multi-Source Drug |
$3.30 | $2.95 | $2.65 | $2.55 | $2.65 |
| Other | $8.25 | $7.40 | $6.60 | $6.35 | $6.60 |
| Above Out-of-Pocket Threshold |
$0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Part D Full Subsidy – Non Full Benefit Dual Eligible Full Subsidy Parameters: | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
| Eligible for QMB/SLMB/QI, SSI or applied and income at or below 135% FPL andresources ≤ $8,780 (individuals) or ≤ $13,930 (couples) (4) | |||||
| Deductible | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Maximum Copayments up to Out-of-Pocket Threshold | |||||
| Generic/Preferred Multi-Source Drug |
$3.30 | $2.95 | $2.65 | $2.55 | $2.65 |
| Other | $8.25 | $7.40 | $6.60 | $6.35 | $6.60 |
| Maximum Copay above Out-of-Pocket Threshold |
$0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Partial Subsidy Parameters: | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
| Applied and income below 150% FPL and resources between $8,780-$13,640 (individuals) or $13,930-$27,250 (couples) (category code 4) (4) | |||||
| Deductible | $82.00 | $74.00 | $66.00 | $63.00 | $66.00 |
| Coinsurance up to Out-of-Pocket Threshold |
15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% |
| Maximum Copayments above Out-of-Pocket Threshold | |||||
| Generic/Preferred Multi-Source Drug |
$3.30 | $2.95 | $2.65 | $2.55 | $2.65 |
| Other | $8.25 | $7.40 | $6.60 | $6.35 | $6.60 |
| (1) Total Covered Part D Spending at Out-of-Pocket Threshold for Non-Applicable Beneficiaries – Beneficiaries who ARE entitled to an income-related subsidy under section 1860D-14(a) (LIS) | |||||
| (2) Total Covered Part D Spending at Out-of-Pocket Threshold for Applicable Beneficiaries – Beneficiaries who are NOT entitled to an income-related subsidy under section 1860D-14(a) (NON-LIS) and do receive the coverage gap discount. For 2017, the weighted gap coinsurance factor is 89.95%. This is based on the 2015 PDEs (87.9% Brands & 12.1% Generics) | |||||
| (3) The Catastrophic Coverage is the greater of 5% or the values shown in the chart above. In 2017, beneficiaries will be charged $3.30 for those generic or preferred multisource drugs with a retail price under $66 and 5% for those with a retail price greater than $66. For brand-name drugs, beneficiaries would pay $8.25 for those drugs with a retail price under $165 and 5% for those with a retail price over $165. | |||||
| (4) The actual amount of resources allowable may be updated for contract year 2017. | |||||
