Medicare Part D Premiums in 2027: What Texans Should Know

Part D is the part of Medicare that helps pay for prescriptions you fill at a pharmacy. Texans get it one of two ways: a stand-alone drug plan added to Original Medicare, or drug coverage built into a Medicare Advantage plan. Either way, the premium can change every year.

Here's what the 2027 numbers show for Texas.

Texas's 2027 drug plan options

CMS's 2027 plan data shows 10 stand-alone Part D drug plans available to Texans, and the lowest monthly premium is $5.30. Stand-alone drug plans are sold across the whole state, so the same 10 are available whether you live in Houston, Lubbock, or the Rio Grande Valley.

Many Medicare Advantage plans in Texas also include drug coverage. You can see how many are offered where you live on our Medicare plans by county page.

What CMS projects nationally

In its 2027 projections, CMS said:

• Stand-alone drug plans: the average total monthly premium is projected to rise less than $1, from $35.09 in 2026 to $36 in 2027.
• Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage: the average Part D portion of the premium is projected to fall from $11.32 to $7.
• Lower-cost options: CMS says 88% of people who don't get Extra Help will have access to a basic stand-alone drug plan costing $10.30 a month or less.

These are national averages. Your premium depends on the plan you pick.

A temporary premium program is ending

For 2025 and 2026, CMS ran a temporary Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration that helped limit premium increases for some stand-alone drug plans. CMS is ending that program after 2026, so it's worth checking your stand-alone plan's 2027 premium closely, even if you liked it this year.

Why the premium isn't the whole story

The cheapest premium isn't always the cheapest plan. Compare four things:

1. The monthly premium
2. The deductible before the plan starts paying
3. What you pay for each of your drugs, based on the plan's drug list and tiers
4. Which pharmacies are preferred or in network, especially if you live in a small Texas town with only one or two pharmacies nearby

The $41.33 figure

CMS also sets a national base beneficiary premium each year. For 2027, it's $41.33. You don't pay that amount for a plan. Medicare uses it to calculate the Part D late enrollment penalty, which can apply if you went 63 days or more in a row without Part D or other creditable drug coverage after you first became eligible. That penalty is added to your premium for as long as you have Part D.

The yearly limit on drug costs

CMS's 2027 rule makes permanent the recent changes to Part D: the old "coverage gap" is gone, there's a yearly out-of-pocket limit, and once you reach it, you pay nothing for covered Part D drugs for the rest of the year.

How to check your own 2027 costs

• Read your Annual Notice of Change, which lists your plan's 2027 premium and drug changes.
• Use the Medicare.gov Plan Finder. Enter your drugs and pharmacy to compare estimated yearly costs.
• Act by December 7, 2026, the last day of the fall enrollment period. Changes take effect January 1, 2027.

Help paying for drug coverage

Extra Help may pay some or all of your Part D premium and lower your drug costs if your income and resources are limited. You can apply through Social Security. Texans who qualify for Medicaid or a Medicare Savings Program generally get Extra Help automatically. See our guide to help paying for Part B in Texas.

For free, unbiased help comparing drug plans, call HICAP at 1-800-252-9240 or 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).