Medicare
Understanding Medicare Part D in the Midwest: The Part Most People Get Wrong
How Part D prescription drug plans work, why the wrong plan can cost you thousands, and how to pick right.
May 15, 2026 6 min readBy Elie Ortiz
Part D is where Medicare beneficiaries most often overpay — by hundreds or thousands per year — because they picked a plan on premium alone.
Total cost, not premium
The lowest-premium Part D plan is rarely the cheapest. What matters is your total annual out-of-pocket cost: premium + deductible + copays for YOUR specific drugs.
The 2026 Part D redesign
Big news: the annual out-of-pocket cap for Part D is $2,100 in 2026. Once you hit it, your prescriptions are covered at 100% for the rest of the year. This is a major change from prior years.
How to actually shop Part D
- Enter your full prescription list into Medicare's Plan Finder
- Sort by total annual cost, not premium
- Confirm your preferred pharmacy is "preferred" (not just in-network)
- Review every year — formularies change
Have questions about your specific situation?
Talk to Elie directly. Licensed in 15 states, based in the Midwest.