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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.
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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 Eau Claire, 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.
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.
3.68 (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.
3.68 (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 has higher prices and lower quality ratings in 2024 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. It's a reasonable 2024 Part D option.
Cigna is the fourth-largest company offering Medicare Part D plans. About 2.6 million Medicare beneficiaries have Cigna Part D plans as of June 2024
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. PDP Plan Directory. Accessed Jul 10, 2024.
NerdWallet’s Medicare content, including articles, reviews and recommendations, is produced by a team of writers and editors who specialize in Medicare. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, Washington Post, Nasdaq, MSN, MarketWatch, Yahoo! Finance and other national and regional media outlets. They have been cited in publications including Healthline, and appeared on NerdWallet's "Smart Money" podcast.
Cigna Medicare Part D pros and cons
Medicare prescription drug plans from Cigna have advantages and disadvantages.
Pros
$0 copays: 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.
Cons
2024 pricing: 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: 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
Medicare star ratings are typically released once per year, but in 2024, CMS recalculated its ratings mid-year. Updates took place after multiple court rulings in favor of insurance companies alleging that CMS improperly calculated the 2024 star ratings. NerdWallet has updated this review accordingly.
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.”
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.
💬 From our Nerds: Are Cigna Rx PDPs good Medicare Part D plans?
"Cigna is a fair Medicare Part D option for 2024. There are other companies with both higher star ratings and lower prices. However, Cigna outperforms most major competitors on measures of member experience. If Cigna has good coverage for your medications, it’s a fine choice."
» If you have concerns about affording Medicare Part D, look into Medicare Extra Help.
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.
$0-deductible options
Two of Cigna’s plans have no deductible for drugs on certain tiers
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.
CMS Star RatingAverage Medicare star rating, weighted by enrollment. Star ratings are determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
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:
Get more information below about some of the major Medicare Part D companies. These insurers offer plans in most states, but specifics may vary depending on your location.
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).
Medicare Part D plan review methodology
NerdWallet’s Medicare Part D reviews are based on ratings data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), pricing, cost-sharing requirements, formulary design, consumer experience and more.
NerdWallet reviewed eight Medicare Part D insurance companies based on highest enrollment and greatest online search volume. Together, these eight companies cover about 92% of Medicare beneficiaries with stand-alone Medicare Part D plans, according to CMS data. We review at least five major Medicare Part D companies in every state in the United States.
These reviews are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several plans to find the best coverage and rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines for additional information.
