Humana Updates Medicare Pharmacy Benefits

Humana has updated its Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D offerings for 2023. Drug benefits offered through Medicare Advantage include several new features, including $0 prescription copays on all covered Part D prescriptions in the Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) and $0 vaccines, including the shingles vaccine, while COVID-19 and flu vaccines will remain covered at $0. Member cost share of covered Part D insulin will be no more than $35 for every one-month (up to a 30-day) supply.

Additionally, Humana Medicare Advantage plans are removing the preferred retail pharmacy pricing to create one retail network with more than 60,000 pharmacies that will offer the same access to prescription drugs. Many plans include low-to-no cost sharing for commonly used generics and maintenance medications.

In Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans, updates will include $0 copays for many commonly prescribed medications and a network of retail and mail-order pharmacies that offer preferred cost-sharing, including Walmart, Sam’s Club and several grocery chains. In addition, covered vaccines will be offered at $0 copay and covered insulins at no more than $35 for every one-month (up to a 30-day) supply. In partnership with Walmart, Humana will continue to offer the Humana Walmart Value Rx plan that features affordable copays and access to a preferred cost-sharing network.

Additionally, the insurer has updated Humana Premier Rx with Improvements in coverage and benefits, such as 3,700 medications covered on the formulary, including 900 medications covered on tier 1 & tier 2 (with a $0 deductible); select insulins as low as $20; and gap coverage for tier 1 and tier 2 medications.

George Renaudin

“We conducted extensive research to ensure our changes align with consumer wants and needs,” George Renaudin, Medicare president for Humana, said in a press release. “This research resulted in investments focused on what consumers want, like dental coverage, which is consistently a #1 priority in supplemental benefits for our members.”

The company indicated that it designed its plans for 2023 to ensure benefit stability or improvement for current Humana members. Humana will also expand Medicare HMO offerings into 260 new counties and introduce Medicare Local Preferred Provider Organization (LPPO) plans in 260 new counties. For the first time, LPPO plans will be available in California, Rhode Island and Wyoming, and D-SNPs are being added in South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Additionally, Veteran-focused plans will add prescription drugs and givebacks. Humana and USAA partnered to design the new Humana USAA Honor with Rx plan. It is designed to give veterans more flexibility to choose between the VA or civilian doctors, pharmacies and specialists. Benefits include $0 premiums, Part B giveback ranging from $40 to $75 a month depending on the plan, preventive dental coverage with an additional $1,000 allowance, and prescription drug options that offer access to medications at local pharmacies with co-pays as low as $0.

Annual enrollment for Medicare begins Oct. 15, 2022, and continues through Dec. 7, 2022.