Medicare Part D

Medicare Coverage Gap Ends — Shreveport 2027

By the numbers

Shreveport, La. — A big change lands at the pharmacy counter in 2027

Starting January 1, 2027, Medicare Part D will cap what you pay out of pocket for covered prescription drugs at $2,400 for the year. Once you hit that number, you pay $0 for the rest of 2027 on the covered drugs your plan pays toward. For people who take costly medications, this change continues to reshape Part D — and it's landing right as the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7) wraps up.

Here in Shreveport, that timing matters. Caddo Parish residents choosing a stand-alone Part D plan or a Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage will feel this change directly in 2027. Here's how it works, and how to think through your decision.

The Part D cap, in plain English

Under Part D rules set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), once your out-of-pocket spending on covered drugs reaches $2,400 in 2027, you're done paying for the rest of the calendar year for those covered drugs.

A few things to know:

• The cap counts what you pay toward covered drugs — deductibles, copays, and coinsurance.
• It does not count your monthly Part D premium.
• Drugs your plan doesn't cover don't count toward the cap.
• The Part D deductible can be no higher than $700 in 2027, though plans can set it lower.

The cap resets each January 1.

The coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone

If you've been on Medicare a while, you probably remember the dreaded "donut hole" — a middle phase where you suddenly paid more before catastrophic coverage kicked in.

That phase was eliminated in 2025. Part D now has just three phases:

1. Deductible phase — you pay full negotiated price until you meet the deductible (up to $615 in 2026 ($700 in 2027)). 2. Initial coverage phase — you pay copays or coinsurance until your out-of-pocket total hits $2,100 in 2026 ($2,400 in 2027). 3. Catastrophic phase — you pay $0 for covered drugs the rest of the year.

That's it. No more confusing gap in the middle.

The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: spreading costs over the year

Hitting $2,100 in 2026 ($2,400 in 2027) sounds manageable spread across 12 months. But what if you fill an expensive prescription in January and owe hundreds at once?

That's where the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan comes in. It's a free, optional program that lets you spread your out-of-pocket drug costs across monthly payments instead of paying the pharmacy all at once.

Key points:

• You still owe the same total — the payment plan doesn't lower your costs.
• You pay $0 at the pharmacy for covered drugs; your Part D plan bills you monthly.
• You can join before the plan year or during the year.
• It works best for people with high drug costs early in the year.

If most of your prescriptions are low-cost generics, this program may not help much. If you take a specialty drug or several brand-name medications, it can smooth out a rough January.

How to think about your choice this fall

Shreveport is in Caddo Parish, where Medicare beneficiaries can choose from a range of stand-alone Part D plans and Medicare Advantage plans that include drug coverage. The number of options changes each year, and so do formularies (each plan's list of covered drugs), pharmacy networks, and cost-sharing.

A few honest questions to work through before December 7:

• Are all your current medications on the plan's formulary for 2027? Formularies change annually.
• Is your regular pharmacy in the plan's preferred network? This can affect what you pay.
• Would the payment plan help you? If yes, confirm your plan offers enrollment (all Part D plans must).
• Has your income changed? IRMAA surcharges — added premiums for higher earners — begin above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.

There's no single "right" plan. The right plan is the one that covers your drugs, at your pharmacy, at a total cost you can live with.

Key dates to keep on the fridge

• October 15 – December 7: Annual Enrollment Period. Change your Part D or Medicare Advantage plan for 2027.
• January 1, 2027: The $2,400 cap and other 2027 rules take effect.
• January 1 – March 31: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment. If you're in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one chance to switch to another MA plan or return to Original Medicare.