My mom takes a dozen medications, how do I check her drug plan still covers them next year?
Answered by 4 licensed agents
1. Find her Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). Her plan should have mailed it by the end of September. It lists what's changing next year, including drugs being dropped, moved to a different tier, or getting new restrictions.
2. Check each drug on the plan's 2027 formulary (drug list). You can find it on the plan's website or call the number on her member card. For each medication, look for:
Whether it's still covered
The tier, which affects her copay
Any new prior authorization, step therapy, or quantity limits
3. Run her drug list through the Medicare Plan Finder at Medicare.gov. Enter all of her medications with exact doses, plus her pharmacy. It shows what she'd pay under her current plan and compares other plans. With a dozen drugs, this is the most reliable way to see the full-year cost. If she logs into her Medicare.gov account, the list saves for next time.
4. Confirm her pharmacy is still "preferred" or in-network for 2027. Pharmacy networks change too, and that can make a big difference in cost.
If something's changing:
Switch plans during Annual Enrollment if another plan covers her drugs better.
Ask her doctor about a covered alternative, or have the doctor request a formulary exception.
If her prescriptions are expensive, ask about the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. It spreads drug costs out into monthly payments.
A helpful tip: If you'll be calling Medicare or her plan for her, have her sign an authorization form first so they can talk with you. You can also get free help from her state's SHIP program or a local independent agent. Comparing a dozen medications is exactly what we do, and it costs nothing.
Answered by Caroline Johnson on October 1, 2026
Agent Licensed in TX
The agent can check whether each prescription is covered next year, what tier it is on, whether there are requirements such as prior authorization or step therapy, and what the estimated costs look like at the pharmacies she uses. With a long medication list, this can be much easier than trying to check each prescription separately.
If you want to review it yourself, you can use the Medicare Plan Finder at Medicare.gov. Enter every medication, including the exact dosage and quantity, along with her preferred pharmacies. The Plan Finder will show how her current plan and other available plans are expected to cover those prescriptions for the coming year.
Her current plan will also send an Annual Notice of Change. Review it for changes to the drug formulary, tiers, pharmacy costs, prior authorization, step therapy, or quantity limits.
If a medication is no longer covered or its cost changes significantly, then you can look at whether there is a covered alternative or whether her doctor can request an exception.
Answered by Jeremy Harkins on October 1, 2026
Broker Licensed in TN, AR, CA & 5 other states
Plug all prescription medications into the Plan Finder at medicare.gov.
An agent can also look for/with you.
You should do it every year even if her medications stay the same. Plans can change even if your medications don't.
Answered by Wade Shiu on September 29, 2026
Broker Licensed in SC, AZ, DE & 17 other states
Look for a letter from her plan called the Annual Notice of Change. It came in September and shows what's changing.
With 12 medications, though, it's a lot to sort through. Let me take that off your plate. I'll run all her medications through next year's plans and show you side by side what she'll pay. It costs you nothing. Annual Enrollment opens October 15, so let's get her on my calendar.
Answered by Yulonda Clark on October 1, 2026
Agent Licensed in IL, AZ, GA, IN & TX
Tags: Advice for Caretakers Coverage Prescription Drug
Agents: Share Your Expertise
Have insights or experiences related to this topic? Help others by sharing your knowledge and answering this question.
Seniors: Ask a Question of Your Own
Questions are generally answered within 1 to 3 business days. Receive valuable perspectives from multiple licensed agents and brokers.
Ask a Question