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Humana Medicare Part D 2024 Review
Humana offers more $0-deductible drug tiers than some competitors and has average star ratings, but its premiums can be high.
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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Humana
3.49
CMS Star RatingAverage Medicare star rating, weighted by enrollment. Star ratings are determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Humana Medicare Part D plans tend to cost more than competitors' offerings, and they have average star ratings from CMS. Humana outperforms competitors on a few measures, but falls behind on ratings for members' experience using the plan to get medications.
Out-of-pocket costsBased on how frequent and how high a company's copays, coinsurance and deductibles are in comparison to other insurance companies.
Varies
Member experienceThe average of CMS' star ratings for quality measures in the domain "Member Experience with the Drug Plan," weighted by contract enrollment.
2.5 (Below average)
Pros
$0 deductibles are available for drugs on multiple tiers with some plans.
Highest ratings for foreign language interpreter and TTY availability in call centers.
Cons
Prices tend to be higher than what competitors offer.
Below-average ratings on measures of member experience.
Out-of-pocket costsBased on how frequent and how high a company's copays, coinsurance and deductibles are in comparison to other insurance companies.
Varies
Member experienceThe average of CMS' star ratings for quality measures in the domain "Member Experience with the Drug Plan," weighted by contract enrollment.
2.5 (Below average)
Pros
$0 deductibles are available for drugs on multiple tiers with some plans.
Highest ratings for foreign language interpreter and TTY availability in call centers.
Cons
Prices tend to be higher than what competitors offer.
Below-average ratings on measures of member experience.
Humana’s Medicare Part D plans have average star ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
. Prescription drug plans from Humana can get expensive, but state-by-state variations in premiums and out-of-pocket costs could make things more or less affordable depending on your location.
Humana is the fifth-largest company offering Medicare Part D plans. About 2.2 million Medicare beneficiaries have Humana Part D plans as of June 2024
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. PDP Plan Directory. Accessed Jul 12, 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.
Humana Medicare Part D pros and cons
Medicare prescription drug plans from Humana have advantages and disadvantages.
Pros
$0-deductible options: Some Humana plans have $0 deductibles for multiple formulary tiers, not just the least expensive.
Foreign language and TTY: Humana has the highest rating for foreign language interpreter and TTY availability in its call centers.
Cons
Premiums: Plenty of competitors offer lower prices than Humana.
Member experience: Humana gets below-average ratings on Medicare Part D quality measures related to members satisfactorily using the plan to get drugs.
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.
Humana Basic Rx: According to Humana, this plan is best for "members who qualify for Medicare Extra Help, which may cover the entire cost of the premium
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: Is Humana Medicare Part D a good prescription drug plan option?
“Humana’s 2024 Medicare Part D plans can be solid options, but premiums and out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles vary quite a bit between states. Check the specifics for your medications and location to see whether Humana works out to be a good deal this year.”
Humana has raised its average monthly premiums for all of its plans for 2024. The biggest increase is to the high-end Premier Rx plan, which is more than $20 per month more expensive than last year, on average. The Walmart Value Rx and Basic Rx plans both cost a little over $10 more per month than last year, on average.
Deductibles for the two less expensive plans have both grown to 2024’s maximum that plans are allowed to charge, an increase of $40. Deductibles vary for the Premier Rx plan, but on average, they’re lower than last year.
$0-deductible options
Deductibles can apply differently depending on where they fall on the formulary: the plan's list of covered drugs, organized by tiers.
Two of Humana’s plans waive the deductible for drugs on certain tiers:
Humana Walmart Value Rx: $0 deductible for Tier 1-2 drugs. The deductible is $545 for Tier 3-5 drugs
Humana Premier Rx: $0 copays for 90-day supplies of Tier 1-2 drugs from the preferred mail-order pharmacy, and $0 copays for Tier 6 drugs from preferred pharmacies
Cost-sharing requirements 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.
Coinsurance vs. copay requirements
You'll also want to check whether you’ll pay a copay or coinsurance for your medications. Copays are set dollar amounts, so it’s easy to see what you’ll pay. Coinsurance is a percentage of the price for your medications, so coinsurance requirements can be more unpredictable and more expensive.
Humana’s cost-sharing requirements vary by location, and it doesn’t publish a comprehensive state-by-state list. You can find copay and coinsurance requirements by tier for your location in the plan documents when you get a quote.
You can also enter your medications and pharmacy information on Humana’s website to see which drugs are covered and review your estimated costs with different plan options.
Humana offers all three of its Medicare Part D plan options in all U.S. states and Washington, D.C. In Puerto Rico, there are two options: Humana Basic Rx and Humana Premier Rx (Humana Walmart Value Rx is unavailable).
About Humana
Humana is a health insurance company headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. Its insurance offerings include Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare prescription drug plans, Medicare Supplement Insurance, Medicaid coverage and dental and vision plans. In February 2023, Humana announced that it would no longer offer employer-based health plans.
Read the NerdWallet reviews of these other Humana 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 seven Medicare Part D insurance companies based on highest enrollment and greatest online search volume. Together, these seven companies cover just under 90% 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.
