More than 1.6 million people have enrolled in Illinois Medicare Part D plans. Of these, 1.1 million are prescription drug plan enrollees, and over 543,000 participate in a Medicare Advantage plan.
Illinois Medicare Part D prescription drug plans for 2024
Medicare Part D plans cover prescription drugs that Medicare Parts A and B don’t. You can enroll in a plan that covers your prescriptions according to Medicare’s regulations through private companies such as Cigna and Aetna.
There are limits to Medicare Part D coverage, including the “donut hole” coverage gap, which kicks in once your prescription cost reaches a certain threshold and requires you to pay out-of-pocket for a percentage.
Part D plans with the lowest premium in Illinois
The insurance premium is the monthly cost you must pay to maintain your insurance coverage. Plans with low premiums cost less per month, but they usually come with deductibles—a certain amount of your healthcare costs that you must pay before your insurance coverage kicks in.
The chart’s “star rating” shows each plan’s effectiveness rates, and the scale ranges from 1 at the low to 5 at the high.
The Aetna plan has the lowest premium ($6.90). Like the other low-premium plans, it has no gap, or “donut hole,” coverage and has a deductible of $480. It has a three-star rating,
The plans offered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois and Humana are four-star plans. They have higher premiums ($20.20 and $22.70), respectively. They don’t have gap coverage.
Wellcare’s plan has a three-star rating and a premium ($11.70), almost as low as the Aetna plan. It has a $480 deductible but also does not offer gap coverage.
| PLAN | PREMIUM | DEDUCTIBLE | STAR RATING | GAP COVERAGE |
| Aetna | $6.90 | $480 | 3 | No |
| Wellcare | $11.70 | $480 | 3 | No |
| Clear Spring | $17.70 | $480 | 2 | No |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois | $20.20 | $480 | 4 | No |
| Humana | $22.70 | $480 | 4 | No |
Part D plans with a zero-dollar deductible in Illinois
There are a few options for zero-dollar deductible Part D plans in Illinois. Higher premiums come with the $0 deductible, so the choice depends on how much you use your coverage each month.
While the lack of a deductible means your insurance kicks in much faster, the monthly premiums can become quite expensive over time.
Three companies offer zero-dollar deductibles. Each of them has a three-star rating. Wellcare provides a plan without gap coverage with a premium of $68.30.
Aetna’s Part D plan includes gap coverage, but its premium is higher, at $88.10. Like the Wellcare option, it has a three-star rating.
Part D plan has the highest premium of the zero-dollar deductible options. It costs $94.30 monthly, includes gap coverage, and has a three-star rating.
| PLAN | PREMIUM | DEDUCTIBLE | STAR RATING | GAP COVERAGE |
| Wellcare | $68.30 | $0 | 3 | No |
| Aetna | $88.10 | $0 | 3 | Yes |
| $94.30 | $0 | 3 | Yes |
Part D plans with gap coverage in Illinois
In addition to the Aetna and plans listed above, three Illinois Medicare Part D plans offer gap coverage. A UnitedHealthcare plan with a $310 deductible has a three-star rating and a $27.60 premium.
Cigna’s plan has a lower deductible ($100). However, the premium is significantly higher and has a three-star rating.
Lastly, Blue Cross Blue Shield’s plan has a premium almost as high as the zero-deductible plans. It has a $480 deductible and is a four-star plan.
| PLAN | PREMIUM | DEDUCTIBLE | STAR RATING | GAP COVERAGE |
| $27.60 | $310.00 | 4 | Yes | |
| Cigna | $61.60 | $100.00 | 3 | Yes |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $85.20 | $480.00 | 4 | Yes |
| Aetna | $88.10 | $0 | 3 | Yes |
| $94.30 | $0 | 3 | Yes |
Part D plans with a Low-Income Subsidy in Illinois
Over 406,000 Illinoisans are eligible to receive low-income subsidies for Part D coverage. They can choose from the following five Illinois Medicare Part D plans. None of them have gap coverage, and each has a deductible of $480.
Wellcare’s Part D plan has the lowest premium ($26.20) and a three-star rating. It’s a good choice for Medicare recipients looking to keep costs down. The premiums fall within a narrow range — $26 to $28.
plan is the only four-star option. The premium is a little higher than Wellcare’s plan at $27.40.
Aetna and Cigna have three-star plans with premiums of $27.10 and $28. Clear Spring’s two-star program has premiums of $26.50.
| PLAN | PREMIUM | DEDUCTIBLE | STAR RATING | GAP COVERAGE |
| Wellcare | $26.20 | $480 | 3 | No |
| Clear Spring | $26.50 | $480 | 2 | No |
| Aetna | $27.10 | $480 | 3 | No |
| $27.40 | $480 | 4 | No | |
| Cigna | $28.00 | $480 | 3 | No |
Amount of beneficiaries that fall into each Part D coverage phase in Illinois
The donut hole is perhaps one of the most confusing aspects of Part D coverage. One way to think about coverage is to break it into four phases.
The deductible phase occurs when spending for the year is less than the deductible phase. During this phase, you pay for health care costs. Once you reach the deductible, you enter the initial coverage phase.
Once you reach the coverage limit for your plan, you get to the donut-hole phase, where Medicare Part D no longer covers medical expenses. At a certain point, however, you hit the catastrophic phase, and coverage resumes for the remainder of the year.
Medicare data for Illinois shows how many Illinoisans reached each phase of Medigap Part D coverage.
| Deductible Phase | Initial Coverage Phase | Coverage Gap Phase | Catastrophic Phase |
| 400,133 | 663,190 | 175,018 | 127,707 |
Cities in Illinois with estimated premiums for Medicare supplemental coverage
There are charts with estimated premiums for Medicare Supplement coverage for the below cities:
FAQs
Which Illinois Medicare Part D plan is the best?
Choosing the best Illinois Medicare Part D plans depends on your priorities. and Blue Cross Blue Shield offer highly-rated plans, including two plans with gap coverage.
Wellcare and Aetna have low premium plans that might be attractive for Medicare recipients in good health who need to keep monthly expenses down.
What age do you have to be to get Medicare Part D in Illinois?
The Initial Enrollment Period for Medicare Part D occurs when you turn 65. If you don’t enroll in Medicare Part D during this period, you might have to pay a late-enrollment fee. The fee increases depending on how many months you went without coverage.
Where to get Part D Medicare drug coverage in Illinois?
You can enroll in Medicare Part D by visiting the websites of insurance carriers that offer coverage or contacting medicare.gov directly.
How much does Medicare Part D cost in Illinois?
You might pay the deductible, monthly premiums, and drug costs during the coverage gap period. It would be best to consider each of these costs when comparing plans.
Can you buy Medicare Part D by itself in Illinois?
Medicare Part D is available to Medicare Part A and Part B recipients in Illinois. You usually can’t get Medicare Part D and a Medicare Advantage plan.
How to get help signing up for a Medicare Part D plan in Illinois
If you are an Illinois resident approaching the enrollment period for Medicare Part D or have put off enrolling, now is the time to take advantage of Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage.
Our licensed insurance agents to learn about your options. If you give us some information about yourself, our online rate form will get you rates from Illinois Medicare Part D plan insurance carriers.
