Medicare stand alone drug plan premiums to rise fifty percent in 2027

Millions of Medicare enrollees who purchase stand-alone prescription drug plans face an average monthly premium increase of 50 percent in 2027, KFF Health News reported. Average monthly payments are projected to rise from $34 to $51. Enrollees can avoid this average increase by changing to lower-cost options during the open enrollment period, which runs through December 7. [1]

The premium changes come alongside broader shifting costs in federal health programs. GoodRx reported that Medicare Part B premiums are also set to increase in 2025. [2]

Prescription drug costs remain a major expense for the United States health care system. In 2023, the nation spent more than $600 billion on prescription medications, representing the highest per-person spending in the world. Medication costs to consumers are affected by multiple factors, including patents, marketing expenses, and stakeholder influence. [3][5]

As FTMQ Health reported earlier, federal prescription initiatives have drawn scrutiny from lawmakers. Representative Frank Pallone requested a Government Accountability Office audit into White House assertions that the TrumpRx platform saved consumers $700 million after launching in February 2026. The platform connects users to manufacturer cash prices and discount coupons using technology from GoodRx. [6]