Part D numbers for 2027
| Standard benefit | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Deductible | $615 | $700 |
| You pay after the deductible | 25% | 25% |
| Out-of-pocket cap | $2,100 | $2,400 |
| After the cap | $0 | $0 |
This is the standard benefit Medicare sets. Plans can charge less, with a lower deductible or flat copays, and each plan has its own premium and list of covered drugs. People with Extra Help pay much less.
Open Enrollment: until December 7
From October 15 to December 7, 2026, you can join, switch or drop a Part D plan or a Medicare Advantage plan. Changes start January 1, 2027. Plans change their premiums and drug lists every year, so compare your drugs in Medicare's Plan Finder even if you're happy now. All Medicare enrollment periods.
Spreading costs: the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan
Every Part D plan offers it, free. Instead of paying at the pharmacy, you get a monthly bill from your plan. The first month's bill is the smaller of what you owe that month and ($2,400 minus what you've already paid this year) divided by the months left, counting that month ($200 at most if you start in January); later bills spread whatever you still owe over the remaining months, so they can rise toward December. It doesn't lower your total, but it can smooth out a big bill early in the year. The calculator above shows your highest monthly bill if you join in January.
What this calculator assumes
The standard 2027 benefit, the same drug cost every month, and drugs your plan covers. Covered insulin and recommended adult vaccines have their own lower costs under the law (insulin is capped at $35 for a month's supply and skips the deductible; recommended vaccines are $0), so this overstates costs for them. Your plan's real deductible, copays and coverage rules may differ. It doesn't include your premium or any IRMAA surcharge for Part D. IRMAA calculator.
Questions
What is the Part D out-of-pocket maximum for 2027?
$2,400, up from $2,100 in 2026. Once what you pay for covered drugs reaches $2,400, you pay nothing more for covered Part D drugs for the rest of the year.
What is the Part D deductible for 2027?
The standard deductible is $700, up from $615 in 2026. Plans can set a lower deductible or none. After the deductible, the standard benefit has you pay 25% of the cost until you reach the $2,400 cap.
When can I change my Part D plan for 2027?
During Medicare Open Enrollment, October 15 to December 7, 2026. Your new plan starts January 1, 2027.
What is the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan?
A free option in every Part D plan that spreads your out-of-pocket drug costs over monthly bills during the year, instead of paying at the pharmacy. It doesn't lower your total cost. You can sign up with your plan.
Updated November 7, 2026. Sources: CMS, Announcement of Calendar Year 2027 Medicare Advantage Capitation Rates and Part C and Part D Payment Policies (Tables V-2 and V-6); CMS, Medicare Prescription Payment Plan final part one guidance; Medicare.gov, What's the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan?; Medicare.gov, Joining a plan. Estimates, not insurance advice. We don't sell insurance.