Over 2.1 million people reap the benefits of Pennsylvania Medicare Part D plans yearly. Of those, 1.1 million are on a standalone Part D plan, while 1 million enroll in an MAPD plan.

An MAPD is a private Medicare Advantage plan separate from a government program.

Pennsylvania Medicare Part D pPlans for 2024

Part D is one of the four parts of a Medicare health insurance policy. Nearly 90% of the senior citizen population is on prescription medication. Part D allows you to receive financial assistance for these prescription drugs.

Below, we will discuss the advantages of signing up for a Pennsylvania Medicare plan with Part D benefits.

Part D plans with the lowest premiums in Pennsylvania

Here are a few Medicare insurance policies offering some of Pennsylvania’s lowest premiums.

Aetna offers the lowest Part D premium in Pennsylvania at $7.20. With that premium comes a $480 deductible. Also, Aetna does not provide gap coverage for its Medicare plan.

Wellcare has the next lowest Part D premium. Its Medicare insurance plan comes with a $12.90 premium price. Wellcare is a three-star service that offers a $480 deductible for its coverage plan.

Humana has a premium price of $22.70 for its Medicare insurance coverage. It boasts a four-star rating and offers its policyholders many medical and pharmaceutical benefits.

PLAN PREMIUM DEDUCTIBLE STAR RATING GAP COVERAGE
Aetna $7.20 $480.00 3 No
Wellcare $12.90 $480.00 3 No
Clear Spring Health $18.20 $480.00 2 No
Elixir $20.30 $480.00 3 No
Humana $22.70 $480.00 4 No

Part D plans with zero-dollar deductibles

A zero-deductible policy means you don’t have to meet a minimum income requirement to receive the benefits associated with a Medicare health plan.

Wellcare tops the list of the most affordable Pennsylvania Medicare Part D plans with a zero-dollar deductible. Its premium price is $69 for policyholders. Wellcare’s plan does not include gap coverage.

Alternatively, Aetna’s zero-dollar deductible plan does include gap coverage. The three-star health insurance provider has a premium price of $69.

Avalon offers the third-best zero-dollar deductible plan in Pennsylvania. Its premium cost is $90.50, and the company holds an impressive four-star rating.

PLAN PREMIUM DEDUCTIBLE STAR RATING GAP COVERAGE
Wellcare $69.00 $0 3 No
Aetna $73.30 $0 3 Yes
Avalon $90.50 $0 4 No
UnitedHealthcare $101.00 $0 3 Yes
Highmark $178.30 $0 4 Yes

Part D plans with gap coverage

Gap coverage refers to when an insurance provider works with another deductible health insurance company to cover leftover costs.

UnitedHealthcare is the best gap coverage Medicare insurance provider in Pennsylvania. The nation’s leader in Medicare health insurance plans has a $29.30 premium and a $310 deductible.

In second place is Cigna’s $61.70 premium. With a $100 deductible and a three-star rating, Cigna is among the top choices for Pennsylvania Medicare patients.

Aetna’s gap coverage plan has a $73.30 premium and no deductible, offering tremendous value to its policyholders. Patients rave about the many benefits they get with an Aetna coverage plan.

PLAN PREMIUM DEDUCTIBLE STAR RATING GAP COVERAGE
UnitedHealthcare $29.30 $310 4 Yes
Cigna $61.70 $100 3 Yes
Aetna $73.30 $0 3 Yes
UnitedHealthcare $101.00 $0 3 Yes
Highmark $178.30 $0 4 Yes

Part D plans with Low-Income Subsidies

Low-income subsidy plans help patients afford prescriptions by lowering the cost of medication. Over 485,000 Pennsylvania residents are eligible for Part D coverage. Here are a few of the best low-income subsidy Medicare Part D plans available to Pennsylvania residents.

Clear Spring is the leading low-income subsidy insurance plan in Pennsylvania. Clear Spring offers much value for its policyholders with a $32.80 premium and a $480 deductible.

UnitedHealthcare is the only four-star Medicare provider with a low-income subsidy plan. The Minnesota insurance provider offers a $38 premium and a $480 deductible for its Part D plan.

Wellcare also offers a competitive Medicare Part D plan with a $35.90 premium. Note that the Medicare provider does not include gap coverage in its policy. Wellcare attaches a $480 deductible to its insurance plan.

PLAN PREMIUM DEDUCTIBLE STAR RATING GAP COVERAGE
Clear Spring $32.80 $480 2 No
Aetna $33.30 $480 3 No
Wellcare $35.90 $480 3 No
Cigna $36.80 $480 3 No
UnitedHealthcare $38.00 $480 4 No

Amount of beneficiaries that fall into each Part D coverage phase in Pennsylvania

There are four phases of Medicare Part D insurance policies: deductible, initial coverage, coverage gap (donut hole), and catastrophic.

Over 347,000 Medicare qualifiers are in the deductible phase, 964,764 in initial coverage, 244,630 in the coverage gap, and 182,402 in catastrophic. Therefore, close to 1.8 million Pennsylvania residents are on Part D Medicare plans.

Deductible Phase Initial Coverage Phase Coverage Gap Phase Catastrophic Phase
347,590 964,764 244,630 182,402

Pennsylvania cities with estimated premiums for Medigap

Medicare Supplement plans are great for many but do carry monthly premiums. For the following cities, here are charts illustrating projected costs:

FAQs

What Are the Limits of Medicare Part D in Pennsylvania?

While Medicare Part D provides several patient benefits, it’s not unlimited. For example, Part D does not cover many drugs, including fertility medicine, cosmetic pills, prescription vitamins, etc.

Who Do I Contact About Receiving Extra Help to Pay Part D Medicare in Pennsylvania?

You can contact the Extra Help organization for more information on how to pay for your Part D Medicare plan. Call your coverage provider for more details if that method does not work for you.

What Is the Most Popular Medicare Part D Plan in Pennsylvania?

It’s hard to suggest the best Medicare Part D plan due to variables like your budget, prescriptions required, and health. UnitedHealthcare is the most common form of Part D health insurance in Pennsylvania.

Do I Need Medicare Part D if I Do Not Take Any Drugs in Pennsylvania?

While you may not need drugs, you should still sign up for a Part D Medicare plan. You may incur penalties if you don’t. This penalty includes a late enrollment fee that could be costly if you wait too long to sign up for Part D insurance.

What Happens if I Refuse Medicare Part D in Pennsylvania?

By refusing one of these Pennsylvania Medicare Part D plans, you will owe a late enrollment penalty equal to 1% of the average monthly premium for Part D insurance. Essentially, signing up for Part D Medicare is necessary.

How to get help signing up for a Medicare Part D plan in Pennsylvania

We will help you find the best Medicare plan for you. Our team works with some of the best Medicare Advantage insurance providers in Pennsylvania, and we will get you rates for each of them.

All you have to do is fill out our rate form to get rates, or you can call us directly at the number above.

Written By:
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Lindsay Malzone, Lindsay Malzone is the Medicare editor for Medigap.com. She's been contributing to many well-known publications since 2017. Her passion is educating Medicare beneficiaries on all their supplemental Medicare options so they can make an informed decision on their healthcare coverage.
Reviewed By:
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Rodolfo Marrero, Rodolfo Marrero is one of the co-founders at Medigap.com. He has been helping consumers find the right coverage since the site was founded in 2013. Rodolfo is a licensed insurance agent that works hand-in-hand with the team to ensure the accuracy of the content.