Part D Out-of-Pocket Cap: Limited Impact, Low Cost

A small share of Medicare Part D beneficiaries without access to the low-income subsidy (LIS) program would benefit from the introduction of a $2,000 out-of-pocket (OOP) spending cap for prescription drugs, a provision that is included in the Build Back Better Act, according to a recent Urban Institute analysis. In 2019, a $2,000 cap could have saved approximately 866,000 non-LIS Part D enrollees about $900 each, on average. There are 32.8 million total non-LIS enrollees in the Part D program. The cap would carry a small price tag, increasing total Part D expenditures by $782 million in 2019 and the premium across all Medicare beneficiaries by $4.35 annually. The study concluded that capping out-of-pocket costs for certain Part D beneficiaries would enhance the program without significantly raising costs.

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• Radar on Drug Benefits