Medicare Part D
Before Dec. 7: what Auburn drug plans change in 2027
AUBURN, Maine — Fall 2026. If you take prescription drugs and have Medicare, this is the season to open the envelope from your plan. The Annual Enrollment Period runs Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, 2026, and any change you make now takes effect Jan. 1, 2027. Two Part D numbers are already confirmed for 2027, and they are the ones worth understanding before you decide whether to keep your current coverage.
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Will your prescriptions still be covered in 2027?
Part D plans rewrite their drug lists every year — tiers move, pharmacies change, drugs drop off. One call checks your exact medications against the 2027 plans in your area.
- Every prescription checked, name by name
- Your pharmacy checked for preferred pricing
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Key takeaways
- The Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 in 2027, up from $2,100 in 2026, and no Part D plan can set a deductible higher than $700 in 2027 (the 2026 ceiling is $615).
- Your plan's Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) shows how its formulary, tiers and rules are shifting for 2027 — read it before Dec. 7, 2026.
- Auburn is in Androscoggin County, where 37 Medicare Advantage plans are offered for 2027 and 0 stand-alone Part D plans are listed in the CMS Landscape data.
- The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs across the calendar year in monthly installments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.
What is confirmed for 2027
CMS has published two Part D figures for 2027:
- Out-of-pocket cap: $2,400. Once your covered drug spending reaches that amount in 2027, you pay $0 for covered Part D drugs the rest of the year. In 2026, the cap is $2,100.
- Maximum deductible: $700. That is the ceiling; a plan can set its deductible lower, but not higher. In 2026, the ceiling is $615.
The coverage gap — the old "donut hole" — is gone. Since 2025, Part D has three phases: deductible, initial coverage, and catastrophic (where the cap kicks in).
A third number you may see quoted, the $41.33 national base beneficiary premium for 2027, is a formula input CMS uses behind the scenes. It is not what any particular plan charges.
The 2027 Part B premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, have not been announced yet. CMS typically publishes them in November. Until then, no one has those numbers — be cautious of any source that claims to.
Read the ANOC before you decide anything
Every Part D plan and every Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage sends an Annual Notice of Change in September. It tells you, in plain terms, how your plan is changing for 2027:
- The formulary (drug list) — which drugs are covered, and on which tier.
- Tier changes — a drug moving from tier 2 to tier 3, for example, usually means a higher share of the cost.
- Utilization rules — prior authorization, step therapy, or quantity limits added or removed.
- The pharmacy network — which pharmacies are preferred, standard, or out of network.
If a drug you take is dropping off the formulary, plans are generally required to offer a transition fill (usually a one-month supply) early in the new year while you and your prescriber sort out an alternative or request an exception. That is a safety net, not a permanent solution — start the conversation before January.
The Prescription Payment Plan, in plain terms
The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan is a free option that lets you pay your Part D cost-sharing in monthly installments to your plan, instead of paying the full amount at the pharmacy. Your total for the year is the same — the plan just spreads it out.
It can help if you have a big up-front bill (say, a high-cost drug filled in January) and would rather smooth it across the year. You have to opt in; you can join before the plan year starts or during the year. Your plan handles enrollment.
Stand-alone Part D vs. drug coverage inside Medicare Advantage
There are two ways to get Part D:
1. Stand-alone Part D (a "PDP") — you keep Original Medicare (Parts A and B), often add a Medigap policy, and buy a separate drug plan. 2. Medicare Advantage with drug coverage (an "MA-PD") — one plan combines your hospital, medical and drug coverage.
The same 2027 Part D rules — the $2,400 cap and $700 deductible ceiling — apply to the drug portion of either type of plan. The differences are in how the rest of your care works: networks, referrals, extra benefits, and whether you also carry Medigap.
Auburn is in Androscoggin County, where the 2027 CMS Landscape lists 37 Medicare Advantage plans offered by 6 carriers, and 0 stand-alone Part D plans in the county's PDP file at the time of publication. If you rely on a PDP today, check medicare.gov's Plan Finder for the plans available to a Maine ZIP code — PDP availability is set at the state level and the Landscape file can lag.
How to use Plan Finder for your drug list
The most useful hour you can spend this fall is on medicare.gov/plan-compare:
1. Sign in (or use your ZIP as a guest). 2. Enter every prescription you take, with the dose and how often. 3. Add your usual pharmacies. 4. Compare plans on your estimated annual drug cost, not just the monthly premium.
A lower premium can hide a higher tier for one of your drugs; a higher premium can be the cheaper plan overall once your medications are entered. The Plan Finder does that math for you.
If you do nothing
Nothing dramatic happens on Dec. 8. If your current plan is offered again in 2027, you stay in it, with the changes described in your ANOC. If your plan is not being offered next year, your plan and CMS will send written notice, and you will have a Special Enrollment Period to pick something else. Doing nothing is a valid choice — as long as it is a choice, not a missed letter.
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.
By the numbers
How people get Medicare in Androscoggin County
(MA penetration in Androscoggin County)
MA penetration from CMS enrollment data; Medigap share is an estimate. U.S. average is about 54% Medicare Advantage. These are area-level figures, not plan-specific.
Prescription coverage
How Medicare Part D works in 2026
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.
Key dates
Medicare enrollment periods at a glance
- Around your 65thInitial Enrollment PeriodA 7-month window around the month you turn 65 — your first chance to sign up.
- October 15 – December 7Annual Enrollment PeriodAnyone with Medicare can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
- January 1 – March 31Medicare Advantage Open EnrollmentIf you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make one change.
- January 1 – March 31General Enrollment PeriodFor people who missed their first chance to sign up for Part B.
- VariesSpecial Enrollment PeriodTriggered by life events like moving or losing other coverage.
Dates are set by Medicare and apply nationwide. Confirm your personal windows at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
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
What is the Part D out-of-pocket cap for 2027?
Can a Part D plan charge more than $700 as a deductible in 2027?
Do I have to sign up again every year during Annual Enrollment?
What if my drug is dropped from the formulary?
- CMS — Medicare Part D program rules (medicare.gov)
- CMS — Medicare enrollment periods (medicare.gov)
- CMS — MA/Part D Landscape & Plan Finder data
For personalized answers, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.
Also for Auburn
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This page was last updated: September 2026.