Medicare Part D
New London Rx Costs in 2026: What Happens After $2,100
New London, Conn. — For older adults filling prescriptions at pharmacies around New London this fall, the numbers on the receipt continue to work differently than they used to. The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once you hit that ceiling, you pay nothing for covered prescriptions the rest of the calendar year.
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Will your prescriptions still be covered in 2027?
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Key takeaways
- The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and rises to $2,400 in 2027, after which covered drugs cost you nothing for the rest of the year.
- The old "donut hole" coverage gap is gone; Part D now has three phases — deductible, initial coverage, and catastrophic.
- The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs across monthly bills instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter.
- Review your Part D or Medicare Advantage drug coverage during Annual Enrollment (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2026) to make sure it still fits for 2027.
That is a real shift from how Part D worked for most of its history — and it lands right in the middle of Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period, which runs October 15 through December 7.
What the $2,100 cap actually means
The cap is a hard ceiling on what you pay out of pocket for prescriptions covered by your Part D plan. It includes your deductible and any copays or coinsurance on covered drugs. The ceiling is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once your spending reaches that amount, you move into what Medicare calls the catastrophic phase, and you owe nothing more for covered drugs until the next calendar year begins.
For people in New London who take expensive maintenance medications — think certain cancer, diabetes, or autoimmune drugs — this ceiling can arrive early in the year. After that, refills for covered drugs are $0 at the counter.
A few things the cap does not do: it does not apply to drugs your plan does not cover, it does not apply to over-the-counter items, and it does not include your monthly Part D premium.
The coverage gap is gone
If you have been on Medicare for a while, you may remember the "donut hole" — a middle stretch where your share of drug costs jumped up before catastrophic coverage kicked in. That gap was eliminated as of 2025. Part D now has three phases:
1. Deductible phase — you pay full negotiated price until you meet your plan's deductible (no plan can charge more than $615 in 2026, or more than $700 in 2027). 2. Initial coverage phase — you pay a copay or coinsurance while the plan pays the rest. 3. Catastrophic phase — once your out-of-pocket spending hits the annual cap ($2,100 in 2026, $2,400 in 2027), covered drugs cost nothing.
Simpler math, fewer surprises.
The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan
Even with an annual ceiling, hitting it in January or February can strain a fixed income. That is why Medicare offers the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, an optional program that lets you spread your out-of-pocket drug costs across monthly payments through the rest of the plan year instead of paying the full amount at the pharmacy.
Here is how it works in plain terms:
- You opt in through your Part D plan (or the drug portion of your Medicare Advantage plan).
- When you fill a prescription, you pay $0 at the counter for that fill.
- Your plan bills you monthly for what you would have owed, spread out over the remaining months of the year.
You do not pay more overall — you just pay on a schedule. It can be a helpful tool if you have one or two big fills early in the year. If you are unsure whether it fits your budget, your plan can walk you through the estimate before you enroll.
What New London-area readers should check this fall
New London sits in New London County, where Medicare beneficiaries have a range of stand-alone Part D plans and Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage to choose among during Annual Enrollment. The 2027 lineup is detailed in each plan's ANOC and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder. Every plan sends an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) in the fall. It is worth opening.
A short checklist before December 7:
- Confirm your regular medications are still on the plan's formulary for 2027.
- Check whether your pharmacy is still in the plan's preferred network.
- Look at the plan's deductible and cost-sharing tiers — those can shift year to year, even when the federal cap does not.
- If your income is above $109,000 (single filer) in 2026, be aware an IRMAA surcharge may apply to your Part D premium.
If you want free, unbiased help, Connecticut's CHOICES program — the state's SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) — offers one-on-one counseling to Medicare beneficiaries at no cost.
By the numbers
Medicare Part B premium, 2006–2026
The standard monthly Part B premium has climbed from $88.50 in 2006 to $202.90 in 2026. Hover any point for that year’s premium.
Source: CMS. Standard premium shown; in some hold-harmless years many existing enrollees paid less. Confirm at Medicare.gov.
Prescription coverage
How Medicare Part D works in 2027
The old coverage gap (“donut hole”) is eliminated as of 2025 (three phases now). There’s now a hard yearly cap of $2,100 on what you pay out of pocket for covered drugs, and you can spread those costs across the year with the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan.
Try it
How the 2026 Part D drug cap works
Slide to your estimated yearly prescription costs and see how the new $2,100 out-of-pocket cap protects you. This illustrates the standard Part D benefit; your plan may structure costs differently.
Once your out-of-pocket spending on covered drugs reaches $2,100, you pay nothing more for the rest of 2026. Confirm details at Medicare.gov.
Explore
When can you enroll? An interactive year
Enrollment windows are federal and the same nationwide. Confirm your personal dates at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Does the $2,100 cap include my monthly Part D premium?
What happens after I hit the annual cap in 2027?
Do I have to sign up for the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan?
When can I change my drug coverage?
- CMS — Medicare Part D program rules (medicare.gov)
For personalized answers, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.
Also for New London
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This page was last updated: October 6, 2026.