Medicare 2026

Traveling or Away for the Winter? How to Fill Prescriptions With Medicare Part D

Spending part of the winter in a warmer climate, visiting family across the country, or taking a long trip? If you have Medicare Part D — either as a stand-alone drug plan alongside Original Medicare or built into a Medicare Advantage plan — a little planning can keep your prescriptions filled wherever you land.

Start with your plan's pharmacy network

Every Part D plan — whether stand-alone or part of a Medicare Advantage plan — uses a pharmacy network. Many national and regional chains participate in a lot of plans, which often makes it possible to fill prescriptions at a network pharmacy near wherever you're staying. Before you go, log in to your plan's website or call the member services number on your card and ask which pharmacies in your destination area are in network. If you'll be away for weeks or months, this one call can save you money and hassle.

Ask about mail order and extended supplies

Some plans offer a mail-order program that sends up to a 3-month supply to your home, sometimes with automatic refills. Some retail pharmacies may also fill a 2- or 3-month supply of covered drugs at once. For snowbirds and long-trip travelers, that can mean one fewer thing to worry about on the road.

A few things to check with your plan:

• Can mail order ship to a temporary address, or only to your address on file?
• Are there specific drugs the plan expects you to get by mail order before an extended trip?
• Are there quantity limits or prior authorization steps that apply to an extended supply?

CMS expects plans to allow reasonable access to covered drugs, but plans may require you to buy maintenance medications by mail order before extended out-of-area travel, and they can set other reasonable rules.

If you have to use an out-of-network pharmacy

Federal rules require Part D plans to make sure you can get your covered drugs at an out-of-network pharmacy when you can't reasonably be expected to use a network one — and when out-of-network use isn't a routine habit. CMS gives examples such as traveling outside your plan's service area and running out of or losing your drugs, becoming ill and being unable to reach a network pharmacy, or having no network pharmacy within a reasonable driving distance open 24/7.

Important things to know:

• Plans may not routinely allow more than a month's supply to be dispensed at an out-of-network pharmacy.
• You'll probably have to pay the full cost at the counter. Save your receipts and ask your plan how to file a claim for reimbursement.
• You won't get a refund for the out-of-network cost-sharing amount — that's still yours to pay.
• Depending on the plan, you may also owe the difference between the pharmacy's usual price and the plan's allowed amount. When paid under the plan's out-of-network rules, that difference counts toward your out-of-pocket costs.

Speaking of out-of-pocket costs: the Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once you hit the cap in a calendar year, you pay $0 for covered Part D drugs for the rest of that year.

Emergencies and declared disasters

If you're caught up in a declared emergency or disaster while away from home, your plan can help you find a nearby network pharmacy, replace lost or damaged drugs, or use an out-of-network pharmacy if a network one isn't reachable. If you're not sure when you'll make it home, ask about a 60- to 90-day supply.

Traveling outside the United States

Part D plans must exclude drugs that aren't sold in the United States, so prescriptions bought abroad generally aren't covered. If you're going overseas, talk to your prescriber and your plan well in advance about getting enough of a U.S. supply to carry with you.

A quick word on plan choice

As you think about travel, it's fair to weigh how your coverage fits your life. Original Medicare paired with a stand-alone Part D plan (and, for some people, a Medigap policy) generally offers nationwide access to any provider that takes Medicare, with separate drug coverage rules. Medicare Advantage plans bundle medical and (usually) drug coverage, often with extra features, but they use provider and pharmacy networks that can affect care away from home. Neither approach is "better" — the right fit depends on your health, budget, travel habits, and preferences.

If you want to make a change, Annual Enrollment runs October 15 – December 7, 2026, with new coverage starting January 1, 2027. The most any Part D plan may charge as a deductible in 2027 is $700, and the national base beneficiary premium (used in the late-enrollment penalty calculation) is $41.33; actual plan premiums vary.

People with Medicaid or Extra Help have additional flexibility: since 2025, they have a monthly Special Enrollment Period to move to Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D plan, or to switch stand-alone Part D plans. Full-benefit dual-eligible individuals can also join an integrated D-SNP in any month.

Note: CMS typically announces the 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, along with the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, in the fall — usually in November. Watch for the official announcement rather than relying on estimates.

Where can you get help with Medicare questions?

For personalized questions about your coverage, call your plan directly using the number on your member ID card. For general Medicare information, visit Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), TTY 1-877-486-2048, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

This article is for general educational purposes only and is not affiliated with any government agency.