which Part D to choose? confused

[Tybee]

Tybee that is a lot of money for drugs on that WellCare plan.

I don’t know how much my Wellcare monthly premium is and I don’t know how much is going up in the year 2026. I know I’ve paid $400 in co-pays over 12 months. That doesn’t seem like much. I take blood pressure meds and a statin drug.

They don't seem to cover the asthma drugs, not really. BP and statins tend to be really cheap drugs, I think? At least that is what I am seeing on the different plans, that the asthma drugs are the issue and some of the zero premiums don't cover them at all. the lisinopril is only like 24 dollars a year.

If I go with the most expensive premium, it is actually the lowest final number with a deductible of 130 instead of 615. The total cost is the lowest with the highest premium so maybe I will change to a more expensive plan because at least it covers the asthma drugs?

Nobody covers the one the pulmonologist wanted me on, Breo. So I think I'm not going to take that one.

[rosarugosa]

Tybee: I wonder if that's the same plan my mother has, which is an AARP plan through UHC. She takes Breo, and I see that her OOP is $126 for a 3 month supply after the deductible is met. Her premium is increasing from $107.50 in 2025 to $155.10 in 2026. There is no dedt for T1 & T2 drugs, and a $130 dedt for T3 - T5.

[Tybee]

It's so weird, Rosa. With the plan you mention, which sounds like it, with the first year premium being that 107 (how can they do that??) but they are charging 6000 a year for the generic Breo, and 854 a year, or 70 dollars a month, for the brand name Breo.

The Wellcare plan comes out to be 11,000 a year for meds. Definitely not doing that one.

I will have to check Good Rx for Breo.

[Tybee]

Wow, I checked last year's prices on that AARP plan for Breo and the price was 94 dollars for the year and now it is up to 850 dollars for 2026, same plan. Make sure you check her plan for what is going on with that drug next year.