Do I Need Medicare Part D If I Don't Take Any Drugs?

If you don’t take prescription medicines, you might be asking yourself if having a Medicare Part D Drug Plan is necessary.  

Part D plans cover prescription drugs, so it may not seem like an obvious choice. However, not enrolling in a Part D plan may cost you more money in the long run, either through late enrollment penalties or through unexpected and expensive prescription costs.  

Disclaimer: We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.

Do I need Medicare Part D if I don’t take any drugs?

Medicare Part D Drug Plans are not required coverage. However, even if you are not currently taking any prescriptions, that doesn’t mean you should skip getting a drug plan.  

Drug plans offer coverage for prescriptions. We strongly recommend enrolling in a Part D plan even if you don’t feel you need it right now, because it will likely save you money in the future and give you coverage in case you need it.  

Pros and Cons of Enrolling in Part D With No Active Prescriptions

Pro: No late penalty

Medicare Part D late enrollment has a penalty that will apply for as long as you are enrolled in the program.  

By enrolling early when you are first eligible, you can save a lot of money down the line when you start needing prescriptions.  

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Con: Monthly payment

If you don’t need it, it may seem silly to be paying a monthly insurance cost. However, many Part D plans are available for an affordable premium.

Pro: You have coverage when you need it

Fun fact: We don’t buy insurance when we need it. We buy it in case we need it. No one plans for car accidents, flooded basements, or hospital stays. We prepare for those situations in case they happen by purchasing insurance for our cars, homes, and families.  

By preparing now, we save serious costs when those situations happen.  

Con: It may feel like a waste of money (for now)  

No one likes wasting money, but the fact is that everyone does it. Try to think about it like this: The cost of things like magazines, newspapers and streaming services add up fast. However, we spend the money because it provides value to us.  

Investing in a Part D plan, even if you don’t have any prescriptions yet, could add value when you need it.

How Much is the Part D Late Enrollment Penalty?

The penalty is 1% of the national base average per month. If your penalty ends up being $10 and your ideal plan is $24, you will pay $34 per month for the entire time you have that plan.  

Part D penalties never expire or end.  

Which Drug Plan Should I Get If I Don’t Take Any Drugs?

What plan you should get is based on several different factors, including where you live, what plans are offered in your area, your financial situation, and other important concerns.  

If you do not take any prescriptions currently, finding an affordable plan with a low monthly premium might serve you best. However, before you choose any plan, you will want to make sure that it covers the pharmacy you prefer in your area.  

What If I Only Take a Couple of Generics?

Generics with Medicare Part D may cost less than you are currently paying. For many generic drugs, this makes it cheaper to have the drug plan than to rely on pharmacy costs or coupon programs.

Conclusion

No one can predict the future. Just because you don’t have any prescription costs right now does not mean that will be true next week, next month, or next year. We don’t buy insurance to only deal with what we have today — we buy it for security in the future.  

Visit medicare.gov to learn more or sign up for a Part D Drug Plan.