2027 Medicare Part D Cost Calculator

How to use it

Pick how you want to estimate. If you know your drugs' full prices (Medicare Plan Finder and your plan's drug list show them), enter each drug and how often you fill it. If you only know what you usually pay at the counter, choose the pharmacy option and enter that monthly amount.

The calculator then walks through 2027 one month at a time, the way your plan does: first the deductible, then your share of each fill, until you reach the $2,400 cap. You'll see your total, the month you hit the cap, and a 12-month table you can print for yourself or a family member.

The three stages of Part D in 2027

Deductible (up to $700). You pay the full price of covered drugs until you've paid your plan's deductible. No plan may charge more than $700 in 2027 ($615 in 2026). Insulin and recommended adult vaccines skip the deductible.
Your share (25%). After the deductible, the standard benefit has you pay 25% of each drug's price. Many plans use copays or other percentages instead; you can enter those under “My plan charges something different.”
The $2,400 cap. Once the amount Medicare counts reaches $2,400, covered Part D drugs cost $0 for the rest of 2027. In 2026 the cap is $2,100.

Insulin is different: each covered insulin costs no more than $35 for a month's supply, with no deductible, and it still counts toward the cap.

The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan

The payment plan doesn't lower what you owe. It changes when you pay. Instead of paying at the pharmacy, your plan sends you a monthly bill. In the first month the bill can be at most what's left of the $2,400 cap divided by the months left in the year. If you join for January, that's $2,400 ÷ 12 = $200. Anything you don't pay yet rolls into later months, so bills usually rise through the year. There are no fees and no interest.

Example: with one $1,000 brand drug, you'd pay $775 at the pharmacy in January. With the payment plan, January's bill is $200. Your total for the year is $2,400 either way. See the full formula and Medicare's own examples.

What's not included

Extra Help (opens in a new tab) (low-income subsidy), the income-related extra amount (IRMAA) and late-enrollment penalties.
Drugs your plan doesn't cover, Part B drugs given in a clinic, coupons and pharmacy discounts.
Your plan's own mid-year rules, preferred pharmacies and tiers beyond what you enter.

We don't recommend plans. To compare 2027 plans, use Medicare Plan Finder (opens in a new tab). For free, unbiased one-on-one help, contact your state's SHIP counselors (opens in a new tab). This is an estimate, not medical or insurance advice.

Questions

What is the 2027 Part D out-of-pocket cap?

$2,400 for 2027, up from $2,100 in 2026. Once the amount Medicare counts toward your cap reaches $2,400, you pay $0 for covered Part D drugs for the rest of the calendar year.

What's the 2027 Part D deductible?

No Medicare drug plan may have a deductible of more than $700 in 2027 ($615 in 2026). Some plans charge less or no deductible. The deductible never applies to covered insulin or to recommended adult vaccines.

Does insulin count?

Yes. A one-month supply of each covered insulin costs no more than $35 (or 25% of its price if that is less), with no deductible, and what you pay counts toward the $2,400 cap. Recommended adult vaccines cost $0, so you don't need to enter them.

Does the payment plan save money?

No. As Medicare.gov puts it, “it doesn't save you money or lower your drug costs.” The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan spreads what you owe into monthly bills. There are no fees or interest, so your total for the year is the same.

When do I join the payment plan?

You can sign up during Open Enrollment (Oct 15 to Dec 7, 2026) so your bills start in January, or later in the year. Call your plan; the number is on your member card. The later you join, the fewer months are left to spread your costs over.

Why is my bill higher later in the year?

Each month's bill is what you still owe divided by the months left in the year. In January your bill can be at most $2,400 ÷ 12 = $200. Costs you haven't paid yet roll forward, and fewer months are left to share them, so later bills grow. December bills whatever is left.

Do premiums count toward the $2,400?

No. Your monthly premium is separate and does not count toward the out-of-pocket cap. You can add your plan's premium in the calculator to see your full yearly cost.

Is this the same for Medicare Advantage drug coverage?

Yes. The Part D rules ($700 deductible limit and $2,400 cap) also apply to Medicare Advantage plans that include drug coverage. Each plan's own prices and tiers vary.

Your 2027 estimate