There are 2 ways to get Prescription (Part D) Coverage:

1.  As a stand-alone prescription drug plan with Medicare: If you have Medicare Part A and Part B, you can add a Part D prescription drug plan to your existing coverage.
2.  As part of a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C): Medicare Advantage plans include all your Part A and Part B coverage. They may also include prescription drug insurance. Not all Medicare Advantage plans include prescription drug coverage.

All plans must cover a wide range of prescription drugs that people with Medicare take, including most drugs in certain protected classes. This list is called a drug formulary. The formulary may differ from plan to plan. Many plans arrange their list of covered drugs in different levels, called “tiers”. Generally, drugs in a lower tier will cost less than drugs in a higher tier. Here is one example of a typical Medicare drug plan’s tier system (but remember, your plan may be different):

Tier 1: Preferred Generic
Tier 2: Generic
Tier 3: Preferred Brand
Tier 4: Nonpreferred Brand
Tier 5: Specialty