Part D “Donut Hole” to Close by 2019
The Part D coverage gap – which requires beneficiaries to pay the full cost of their medications for a period – was already on track to close by 2020 thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 speeds up this process by a year. In 2019, beneficiaries who fall into the coverage gap will only pay 25 percent of the cost of their prescription drugs until they reach their annual out-of-pocket limit. Additionally, the resolution increases the percenta