Covers Millions
Part D is the main way older Americans get prescription drug coverage, including many of the patients affected by insulin pricing rules.
In plain English
Helping seniors afford prescription drugs.
The part of Medicare that helps pay for prescription drugs. Private insurers run the plans under federal rules, and enrollees pay premiums and copays.
Simple example
Under the Inflation Reduction Act, Part D enrollees pay no more than $35 per month for covered insulin products as of January 2023.
Why it matters
What the term actually changes.
Policy Testing Ground
Changes to Part D, such as the insulin cap, often serve as models for broader debates about whether similar rules should apply to private insurance.
How it works
The mechanics, in practice.
Private Plans, Federal Rules
Beneficiaries choose from private drug plans that must meet federal coverage and cost-sharing standards set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Cost-Sharing Structure
Enrollees pay monthly premiums, deductibles, and copays, with federal subsidies and recent caps limiting out-of-pocket spending on certain drugs.
Related guide
Should the federal government cap the price of insulin?
A look at how insulin is priced in the U.S., what Congress has already done, and the arguments on each side of a broader price cap.
Read the guide → Related issue brief
Should the federal government cap the price of insulin?
Lawmakers and analysts disagree over whether Washington should set a nationwide ceiling on what patients pay for a century-old drug used by millions of Americans.
Read the brief →You’ve learned the term. Now vote.
Should the federal government cap the price of insulin?
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