From Consumer Reports:
Question When I filled out the Medicare prescription compare plan, I miscalculated my husband’s insulin prescription. Consequently, we reached the doughnut hole within five weeks. In 2011, we are told that we will be paying 50 percent less on name-brand drugs while in the doughnut hole.
Will the full price of the drugs be deducted from $4,550 that the feds require us to pay? Or, will it just be our 50 percent share, meaning we’ll still end up paying $4,550 in the long run?
Answer Good news for you—it’s the former.
Here’s an explanation from our go-to experts at the Medicare Rights Center.
The 50 percent discount for brand-name drugs that will be applied beginning in 2011 will effectively shrink the $4,550 doughnut hole for you. Both what you pay out of pocket AND the 50 percent discount will count toward the $4,550.
