Alaska's nine 2027 Medicare drug plans: premiums run $5.30 to $191.50

Alaskans shopping for Medicare prescription coverage in 2027 have nine stand-alone plans to choose from, with monthly premiums ranging from $5.30 to $191.50 and annual drug deductibles from $300 to $700.

None of those figures identifies the best plan for a particular person. A low premium can be outweighed by prescription prices, and a highly rated insurance contract may not cover a person's drugs or pharmacy at the lowest total cost.

Medicare open enrollment runs Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. Coverage selected then begins Jan. 1.

Alaska News reproduced the state's plan list from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 2027 landscape data and matched each plan's contract number to the 2027 CMS star-rating tables released Oct. 8.

| Plan | Monthly premium | Annual drug deductible | 2027 Part D contract rating |

| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |

| Wellcare Value Script | $5.30 | $700 | 3 stars |

| Humana Basic Rx Plan | $6.30 | $700 | 4.5 stars |

| Wellcare Classic | $7.30 | $700 | 3 stars |

| HealthSpring Assurance Rx | $9.30 | $700 | 2.5 stars |

| Humana Value Rx Plan | $83.80 | $687 | 4.5 stars |

| Humana Premier Rx Plan | $101.20 | $350 | 4.5 stars |

| AARP Medicare Rx Saver from UHC | $108.40 | $700 | 3 stars |

| SilverScript Choice | $132.90 | $700 | 2.5 stars |

| AARP Medicare Rx Preferred from UHC | $191.50 | $300 | 3 stars |

All nine plans are available statewide. The premiums listed are total Part D premiums before any subsidy, late-enrollment penalty or income-related adjustment. A listed deductible may not apply to every drug tier.

CMS assigns the Part D rating at the insurance-contract level, not separately to each Alaska plan or pharmacy. The score weighs customer service, complaints, medication safety and how well members stick to prescribed treatment. CMS says stand-alone drug contracts can be judged on as many as 13 measures.

The rating is a comparison tool, not a forecast of an individual's drug bill. Three Humana plans in Alaska share a 4.5-star rating though their premiums and deductibles differ sharply. Two UnitedHealthcare plans share a 3-star rating while their premiums differ by more than $80 a month.

The CMS landscape file lists no general-enrollment Medicare Advantage plans in Alaska, making these stand-alone plans the main published drug-plan comparison for residents who use Original Medicare. Employer, union and other specialized coverage can follow different rules.

Medicare advises people to enter their medications and preferred pharmacies into Medicare Plan Finder. Formularies differ by plan, pharmacies may be preferred or out of network, and the same medication can land on a different cost tier depending on the plan. Mail-order availability can matter where pharmacy access is limited.

People who qualify for the federal Extra Help program can pay lower premiums and prescription costs. Medicare says Alaska has higher income eligibility limits than the standard figures used in most states, so residents should check Alaska-specific numbers rather than a national chart.

Alaska's Medicare Information Office offers free, noncommercial counseling to help residents compare plans.

The practical comparison is personal: total premium, deductible, the cost of every prescription, pharmacy access and any available assistance. The plan with the lowest premium or highest contract rating is not automatically the cheapest choice for a particular Alaskan.