Medicare Part D
Longview workers with job or VA drug coverage: what "creditable" means for Part D
LONGVIEW, Texas — If you are turning 65 in Longview and still getting prescription drug coverage through a job, a spouse's plan, a union, the VA or TRICARE, you may have heard you can "delay" Medicare Part D. That is often true — but only if your current coverage is what Medicare calls creditable. And there is a short notice that proves it.
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Key takeaways
- Creditable drug coverage is coverage Medicare considers at least as good as a standard Part D plan, and it lets you delay Part D without a late-enrollment penalty.
- Employer, union, VA and TRICARE plans are often (but not always) creditable — the notice you receive each year, usually before Oct. 15, is what proves it.
- Keep that notice. If you enroll in Part D later, you may need it to show Medicare you had continuous creditable coverage.
- Longview is in Gregg County, where free one-on-one help is available through Texas SHIP counselors and 1-800-MEDICARE.
Here is how creditable coverage works, why that annual letter matters, and where Longview residents can get help sorting it out.
What "creditable" actually means
Medicare Part D is the part of Medicare that covers prescription drugs. Most people become eligible at 65. If you go without Part D — or without other drug coverage that is at least as good — for 63 days or more after you're first eligible, Medicare can add a late-enrollment penalty to your Part D premium for as long as you have the drug plan.
"Creditable" is the label Medicare uses for other drug coverage that meets or beats what a standard Part D plan would pay on average. When your coverage is creditable, the months and years you spend on it do not count against you. You can wait to sign up for Part D until that coverage ends, and you will not owe the penalty.
The notice that proves it
Every year — usually before Oct. 15, when Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period begins — plans that offer drug coverage are asked to send members a Notice of Creditable Coverage (or a notice that the coverage is not creditable). It is often a single page. It may arrive by mail, by email, or tucked inside your open-enrollment packet at work.
Do not throw it away. If you later enroll in a Medicare drug plan, Medicare may ask you to show that you had creditable coverage the whole time. That notice is the proof. If you cannot find it, call your benefits office, your union fund, the VA, or the TRICARE beneficiary line and ask for a copy.
Employer, union, VA and TRICARE — how they usually work
- Employer or union plans: Many, but not all, are creditable. Check your notice each year — it can change.
- VA drug coverage: Considered creditable. Many veterans keep VA prescription benefits and skip Part D. Others sign up for Part D anyway to have more pharmacy options; both are allowed.
- TRICARE (including TRICARE for Life): The pharmacy benefit is creditable. You do not need Part D to avoid the penalty, though you can add it if you choose.
- COBRA and retiree plans: These may or may not be creditable, and COBRA does not by itself give you a special enrollment period for Part D. Read the notice carefully.
If your creditable coverage ends — say you retire, or a spouse's plan drops drug benefits — you generally have a two-month Special Enrollment Period to join a Part D or Medicare Advantage drug plan without penalty.
What Part D looks like in 2026
If and when you do move to Part D, a few program-level numbers are worth knowing for 2026:
- The annual out-of-pocket cap for covered drugs is $2,100. Once you hit it, you pay $0 for the rest of the year on covered prescriptions.
- The maximum deductible a plan can charge is $615.
- The old "donut hole" coverage gap is gone; Part D now has three phases.
- The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs across the year in monthly installments if you choose.
- Higher-income enrollees may pay an IRMAA surcharge, which starts above $109,000 in income for a single filer.
Longview is in Gregg County, and the specific Part D and Medicare Advantage plans available here are set at the county level. You can compare them at medicare.gov/plan-compare.
What to do in Longview right now
1. Find your most recent Notice of Creditable Coverage and put it somewhere safe. 2. If you're still working past 65, ask HR whether the drug coverage is creditable — get it in writing. 3. Mark the calendar: Annual Enrollment Period runs Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, and Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment runs Jan. 1 – March 31. 4. If your job or retiree coverage is ending, do not wait 63 days to line up new drug coverage.
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 Gregg County
(MA penetration in Gregg 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.
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
Do I have to sign up for Part D at 65 if I already have drug coverage through work?
Is VA prescription coverage creditable?
What if I lost the notice from my plan?
Where can Longview residents get free help?
- CMS — Medicare Part D program rules (medicare.gov)
- CMS — Medicare enrollment periods (medicare.gov)
For personalized answers, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.
Also for Longview
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This page was last updated: September 2026.