Medicare.gov

Choose how you get drug coverage

There are 2 main ways you can get Medicare drug coverage . You can either join a: 

  1. Medicare drug plan (Part D)

    These plans add Medicare drug coverage to:

    • Original Medicare (Part A and Part B)
    • Some Medicare Cost Plans
    • Some Medicare Advantage Private Fee-for-Service Plans
    • Medicare Medical Savings Account (MSA) Plans

       You must have Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and/or Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) to join a separate Medicare drug plan.  

  1. Medicare Advantage Plan (Part  C) or other Medicare health plan with drug coverage

    You get your Part A, Part B, and Medicare drug coverage (Part D) through a single plan.

Remember, you must have Part A and Part B to join a Medicare Advantage Plan, and you’ll usually get your drug coverage through that plan.

You can only join a separate Medicare drug plan without losing your current health coverage if you’re in a:

  • Private Fee-for-Service Plan that doesn’t include Part D
  • Medical Savings Account Plan
  • Medicare Cost Plan
  • Certain Medicare health plans through an employer or former employer 

If you’re in a Health Maintenance Organization, HMO Point-of-Service Plan or Preferred Provider Organization and you join a separate drug plan, you’ll be disenrolled from your Medicare Advantage Plan and returned to Original Medicare.

Talk to your current plan if you have questions about what will happen to your current health coverage if you get Medicare drug coverage. Get more information about how Medicare works if you have other coverage.

To join any of these plans, you must live in an area the plan serves and be a United States citizen (or lawfully present in the United States).

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