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Cigna Medicare Part D 2024 Review
Cigna offers $0 copays for Tier 1 drugs with every plan, but has lower quality ratings and higher premiums than previous years.
Alex Rosenberg Lead Writer | Medicare, health care, legislation
Alex Rosenberg is a NerdWallet writer focusing on Medicare and information technology. He has more than 10 years of experience researching and writing about health care, insurance, technology, data privacy and public policy. His research has supported lawmakers in the Wisconsin State Legislature as well as health systems and national health authorities in the U.S. and more than 10 other countries. He is based in Stoughton, Wisconsin.
Holly Carey joined NerdWallet in 2021 as an editor on the team responsible for expanding content to additional topics within personal finance. She currently leads the Medicare team. Previously, Holly wrote and edited content and developed digital media strategies as a public affairs officer for the U.S. Navy. She is based in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
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CMS Star RatingAverage Medicare star rating, weighted by enrollment. Star ratings are determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Cigna's quality ratings from CMS are lower for 2024, and all of its 2024 plans are at least 33% more expensive than the 2023 versions. But Cigna performs well on certain measures of customer experience, and all plans still have $0-copay options for Tier 1 drugs.
Out-of-pocket costsBased on how frequent and how high a company's copays, coinsurance and deductibles are in comparison to other insurance companies.
Average
Member experienceThe average of CMS' star ratings for quality measures in the domain "Member Experience with the Drug Plan," weighted by contract enrollment.
3.56 (Above average)
Pros
Tier 1 generic drugs are available for $0 copays with all Cigna plans.
Cigna beats the industry average on the quality measures CMS uses to evaluate member experience.
Cons
Prices are significantly higher for all of Cigna's 2024 plans, and more drugs have coinsurance rather than copays.
Lowest copays might require ordering 90-day supplies by mail.
Out-of-pocket costsBased on how frequent and how high a company's copays, coinsurance and deductibles are in comparison to other insurance companies.
Average
Member experienceThe average of CMS' star ratings for quality measures in the domain "Member Experience with the Drug Plan," weighted by contract enrollment.
3.56 (Above average)
Pros
Tier 1 generic drugs are available for $0 copays with all Cigna plans.
Cigna beats the industry average on the quality measures CMS uses to evaluate member experience.
Cons
Prices are significantly higher for all of Cigna's 2024 plans, and more drugs have coinsurance rather than copays.
Lowest copays might require ordering 90-day supplies by mail.
Cigna is the fifth-largest company offering Medicare Part D plans. About 2.6 million Medicare beneficiaries have Cigna Part D plans as of October 2023
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. PDP Plan Directory. Accessed Oct 18, 2023.
For 2024, Cigna has higher prices and lower quality ratings than in previous years. But all of its plans have at least some $0 copays for certain drugs, and it beats many competitors on measures of member experience.
Here’s what you should know about Cigna Medicare Part D prescription drug plans.
Still deciding on the right carrier? Compare Medicare Part D Plans
Cigna Medicare Part D pros and cons
Medicare prescription drug plans from Cigna have advantages and disadvantages.
Pros
Cons
$0 copays for Tier 1 drugs. Every Cigna plan has options to get Tier 1 generic drugs with $0 copays.
Member experience. Cigna outperforms the industry average on CMS’ measures of member experience, based on how members rate their plan and how easy it is to use.
Pricing changes for 2024. Prices for all of Cigna’s plans have gone up significantly for 2024, and it now charges coinsurance for brand-name drugs on Tier 3, which used to have copays instead.
Mail-order requirements for lowest copays. You may pay more to get some drugs in person — the lowest copays can require 90-day supplies by mail.
These ratings use a 5-point scale where 5 is the best and 1 is the worst. The agency bases its ratings on drug plans’ quality of service and customer experiences, and ratings are updated annually.
Based on the most recent year of data, stand-alone Cigna prescription drug plans get an average of 2.69 stars, weighted by enrollment when the ratings were released
Medicare beneficiaries with Original Medicare (Part A and/or Part B) can purchase a Medicare Part D plan for prescription drug coverage. Part D plans are sold by private insurance companies. The costs and coverage can vary significantly, so it’s important to compare options.
Cigna’s 2024 Medicare prescription drug plans are as follows
Cigna Saver Rx: Cigna describes this plan as “modest coverage and great value” with “a very low monthly premium and very low cost for many generics.”
Cigna Secure Rx: Cigna describes this plan as “basic coverage” with “a low monthly premium, low copays, and low costs for many generics and insulins.”
Cigna Extra Rx: Cigna describes this plan as “a very high level of coverage” with “a higher monthly premium, more robust drug coverage, low out-of-pocket costs, and gap coverage for some medications.”
Cigna Medicare Part D cost
Cigna Medicare Part D premiums and deductibles
Cigna has raised prices for all of its plans for 2024. The high-end Extra Rx plan sees the biggest jump, increasing by more than $20 per month, on average. The mid-range Secure Rx plan’s average premiums are up by about $16 per month, and the low-cost Saver Rx plan costs about $6 more per month.
Deductibles are also up across the board. The deductible for the Saver Rx and Secure Rx plans has gone up by $40 to 2024’s maximum that plans are allowed to charge, and the Extra Rx plan has gone up by $45.
Here are the 2024 premiums and deductibles for Cigna’s stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plans
» If you have concerns about affording Medicare Part D, look into Medicare Extra Help.
Cigna Medicare Part D drug formulary tiers
A formulary is a list of the prescription drugs covered by an insurance plan. The plans often organize different kinds of drugs into tiers according to the cost of the drugs.
Cigna prescription drug plans use a five-tier formulary:
Drug tier
Description
Tier 1: Preferred generic drugs
Generic prescription drugs with low cost-sharing requirements.
Tier 2: Generic drugs
Non-preferred generic drugs.
Tier 3: Preferred brand drugs
Preferred brand-name drugs and some generic drugs.
Tier 4: Non-preferred drugs
Non-preferred brand-name drugs and some generic drugs.
Tier 5: Specialty tier
Generic and brand-name drugs that meet a government-defined threshold for the cost of ingredients.
Each tier has copay or coinsurance requirements. You’ll generally pay more for drugs listed in higher tiers up to Tier 4, but Tier 5 specialty drugs have a lower coinsurance requirement than Tier 4 drugs.
The drugs included in tiers and what you’ll pay for each tier depends on your choice of prescription drug plan and what kind of pharmacy you use. For example, Cigna plans often have the lowest copays for 90-day supplies of Tier 1-2 drugs from their preferred mail-order pharmacies
Cigna Saver Rx: $0 deductible for Tier 1-2 drugs. The deductible is $545 for Tier 3-5 drugs.
Cigna Extra Rx: $0 deductible for Tier 1-2 drugs. The deductible is $145 for Tier 3-5 drugs.
$0-copay options
All three Cigna prescription drug plans offer $0 copays in certain circumstances, but the specifics vary. Copays and coinsurance for higher tiers can quickly get more expensive. As a result, it’s important to check where your medications and pharmacies fall on each plan’s formulary.
Here are the $0-copay options for each of Cigna’s Medicare Part D plans
Cigna Saver Rx: $0 copay for Tier 1 drugs from preferred retail pharmacies and preferred mail-order pharmacies (as a 90-day supply).
Cigna Secure Rx: $0 copay for Tier 1 drugs from preferred retail pharmacies and preferred mail-order pharmacies (as a 90-day supply).
Cigna Extra Rx: $0 copay for 90-day supplies of Tier 1 drugs from preferred mail-order pharmacies.
Coinsurance vs. copay requirements
You’ll want to check whether you’ll pay a copay or coinsurance for your medications. Copays are set dollar amounts, so it’s easy to know what you’ll pay. Coinsurance is a percentage of the price for your medications, so coinsurance requirements can be less predictable and more expensive.
All three of Cigna’s Part D plans have copays for Tiers 1-2 and coinsurance for Tiers 3-5
You can enter your medications and pharmacy information on Cigna’s website to see which drugs are covered and review your estimated costs with different plan options.
Third-party ratings for Cigna Medicare Part D plans
American Customer Satisfaction Index: 72 out of 100
The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) rates consumer satisfaction with products and services based on a scientific model developed at the University of Michigan. Ratings are derived from surveys that measure consumers’ expectations and perceived quality and value of products and services.
In 2023, Cigna scored 72 out of 100 on the ACSI health insurance satisfaction benchmark
American Customer Satisfaction Index. Health Insurance. Accessed Oct 18, 2023.
. ACSI measures satisfaction with the health insurance industry as a whole — Cigna’s score represents all of its health insurance products, not just Medicare Part D insurance. For comparison, the highest score was 82 and the health insurance industry average was 76.
Still deciding on the right carrier? Compare Medicare Part D Plans
AM Best Financial Strength Rating: A
AM Best is a credit rating agency that specializes in the insurance industry. In May 2023, AM Best affirmed its Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) for Cigna Corp., including its U.S. life/health subsidiaries and health maintenance organizations
Cigna offers all three of its stand-alone Medicare Part D plans in all of its markets.
About Cigna
Cigna, headquartered in Bloomfield, Connecticut, was created in 1982 when Connecticut General Corp. (CG) and the Insurance Company of North America (INA) merged. Cigna offers health insurance for individuals and families, dental insurance, Medicare Advantage and Part D plans, Medicare Supplement Insurance, and other insurance coverage such as whole life and cancer treatment insurance. The company also offers insurance for businesses.
Read the NerdWallet reviews of these other Cigna Medicare offerings:
Find the right Medicare Part D prescription drug plan
The interactive tool on Medicare.gov can help you find a Medicare Part D plan that covers your prescriptions. It also helps you compare costs among Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans available to you.
Here are some things to keep in mind when comparing plans:
Check the formulary: You’ll want to make sure the medicines you currently take and, importantly, any you think you might need in the future, are covered under each of the plans you’re considering. Talk to your health care providers about what brand-name and generic medicines to look for and any alternatives that may also work in case you can’t find your current medicines on the plans available in your area.
Look for plan changes: Formularies change frequently. Your insurer should send you a Notice of Plan Change when the formulary changes. Read that document carefully.
Check the pharmacy network: Most Medicare Part D plans negotiate with a network of pharmacies for the lowest cost. Check to see if your pharmacy or an equally convenient one is in the plan’s network. Also, compare prices for using mail order.
If your plan does change, and the change affects the prescription drugs you need, you can switch plans during Medicare's open enrollment period, Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. Changes go into effect on the following Jan. 1.
If you have additional questions about Medicare, visit Medicare.gov or call 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227, TTY 877-486-2048).