A Medicare prescription drug plan (PDP) may help lower your prescription drug expenses and protect against higher costs in the future.
However, you can't get prescription drug coverage through Original Medicare. Stand-alone prescription drug plans are only offered by private companies that have a contract with Medicare to provide prescription drug plans. Each plan provides coverage for a specific drug list, called a formulary.
Medicare offers prescription drug coverage to everyone with Medicare. If you decide not to join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan when you're first eligible, and you don't have other creditable prescription drug coverage, or you don't get Extra Help, you'll likely pay a late enrollment penalty.
To get Medicare drug coverage, you must join a plan run by an insurance company or other private company approved by Medicare. Each plan can vary in cost and drugs covered.