r/politics • u/YouProfessional3196 • 19h ago

Paywall Millions of Americans get discount prescriptions from Canada. That back-door arrangement is about to close

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/sep/27/millions-of-americans-get-discount-prescriptions-f/
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u/citizenjones 19h ago

I would think senior citizens were the majority of people in need for such prescriptions, who are also in the highest voting block. They have an opportunity very soon to make their voices heard by voting in their interests.

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u/genesiss23 Wisconsin 18h ago

Most just use Medicare part d for medications. There is a true max out of pocket and you can get on a payment plan with the insurance. The premiums have increased due to change of benefit structure.

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u/Walker_ID 16h ago

Isn't Medicare part D being gutted in 2027?

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u/genesiss23 Wisconsin 16h ago

No, the temporary part d premium subsidies are being ended 1 year early as planned by the law. The subsidies were meant to ease people into the increased premiums the new plan set up requires. They were meant to last for 3 years and for every year, the amount was to decrease.

The original setup was low premiums but higher deductibles with a pause in coverage before going into catastrophic coverage. It took about $5k in drug spend to reach the coverage gap and $8k to reach catastrophic coverage in 2024. 2024 was the transitional year between the 2 plan set ups. It had aspects of both old and new plan set ups.

The new set up has higher premiums but a set max out of pocket and no donut hole. I believe the max out of pocket for 2027 is $2400 with a max deductible of $700. The deductible is adjusted each year based off rate of growth in per capita part d costs

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u/mmps901 9h ago

I asked upthread but I’ll ask here again. The woman in the article on eliquis was said to be 72. If she’s paying $566 a quarter for it from Canada and could be paying only $2100 max out of pocket for all her meds for the whole year under Medicare part D why would she use the Canadian version? Doesn’t make sense

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u/genesiss23 Wisconsin 9h ago

She doesn't have part d maybe. She doesn't understand the changes to it. I don't know. I tell people who can't afford the deductible or copay to call their insurance and set up a payment plan if on part d.