How do I help my parent switch Part D plans?

Updated October 6, 2026 · General information, not professional advice

How to help a parent switch Part D plans, step by step

1. Gather information: your parent's Medicare card, current plan name, every prescription with dose and quantity, and their preferred pharmacy.
2. Get permission: if you'll call the plan or Medicare for them, they can give verbal permission on the call or name you as a representative.
3. Compare plans on Medicare's Plan Finder at Medicare.gov. Logging in to their Medicare account can pull in drugs from recent claims.
4. Sort by total estimated cost (premiums plus drug costs), not just the premium.
5. Check each drug's rules: tier, prior authorization, step therapy and quantity limits.
6. Enroll online through Plan Finder, by calling the new plan, or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE, by December 7, 2026.
7. Watch the mail for the new plan's welcome letter and card, and give the card to the pharmacy in January.

What changes for drug costs in 2027

• The yearly out-of-pocket cap for covered Part D drugs is $2,100 in 2026 and rises to $2,400 in 2027.
• The maximum deductible a plan can charge is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets your parent pay drug costs in monthly installments over the year. They opt in through their plan.

Because of the cap, a parent on expensive brand-name drugs may now find that a plan with a higher premium but better coverage of their drugs costs less overall, or the reverse. Compare carefully.

Watch out if your parent has Medicare Advantage

If your parent has a Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage, joining a stand-alone Part D plan will generally disenroll them from Medicare Advantage and return them to Original Medicare. That can change their doctors, costs and coverage. To change drug coverage while staying in Medicare Advantage, they switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan that includes drugs.

If they have Original Medicare and a Medigap policy, switching Part D plans does not affect the Medigap policy.

If you aren't sure which kind of coverage your parent has, look at their member card or call the number on it and ask.

Don't drop drug coverage without a plan

If your parent goes 63 days or more in a row without Part D or other creditable drug coverage after first becoming eligible, they may owe a late enrollment penalty added to their premium for as long as they have Part D. Enroll in the new plan rather than canceling the old one first; the switch happens automatically.

If there are problems with the new plan in January

The first pharmacy visit of the year is when surprises show up. To prepare:

• Bring the new plan's member card to the pharmacy, or call ahead so they update the account.
• If a drug is refused, ask the pharmacist whether the plan allows a transition fill; new members can usually get a temporary supply of a drug they were already taking during the first part of the year.
• Ask the doctor to request a coverage determination or exception if the drug needs prior authorization or isn't on the list.
• If the plan was chosen because of wrong information from a plan or agent, call 1-800-MEDICARE to ask about options.

Keep a list of the drugs, doses and the 2027 costs you saw on Plan Finder so you can compare them with the bills.

Help if money is tight

Extra Help lowers Part D premiums, deductibles and copays. In 2026, people with yearly income up to $23,940 and resources up to $18,090 (single), or $32,460 and $36,100 (married, living together), may qualify. Apply through Social Security. People with Extra Help can also change plans more often during the year.

Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) offers free help comparing plans. If your parent is also struggling to manage medications at home, seniorcare.si can show licensed home care agencies near your ZIP code that offer medication reminders.