Aetna Medicare Part D

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Aetna sells a range of health insurance products, including Medicare Part D. Aetna Medicare Part D plans, also referred to as “prescription drug plans,” or “PDPs,” cover prescription medications, which federally administered Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) doesn’t typically cover. 

Medicare beneficiaries have two option to get their Medicare drug coverage:

• From a Part D plan like the ones offered by Aetna
• From a Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MA-PD) plan

Medicare Advantage (also called Medicare Part C) plans cover the same benefits as Medicare Parts A and B, and most Medicare Advantage plans also cover prescription drugs. Compare Aetna Medicare Advantage plans in your area to find plans that cover prescription drugs, dental, hearing, vision and more.

Which Part D Plans Are Sold By Aetna?

Aetna sells three different Medicare Part D plans, all under the SilverScript brand name. 

• The SilverScript Smart Rx plan offers the most affordable premiums but greater cost-sharing when you use the plan for some drugs. Aetna SilverScript Smart Rx PDP offers an average $7.08 monthly premium.¹
  
  
• The SilverScript Choice plan balances monthly premiums with out-of-pocket spending. The average monthly premium for the Aetna SilverScript Choice plan in 2022 is $30.78 per month, $0 copays for tier 1 drugs and $5 copays for tier 2 drugs.
  
  
• The Aetna SilverScript Plus plan requires a highly monthly premium but offers a higher degree of drug coverage. The average premium in 2022 is $68.97 per month, but there’s no deductible and $0 or low copays for tier 1 and 2 drugs.

Are Aetna and SilverScript The Same?

Aetna is owned by CVS Health. SilverScript is a set of Medicare Part D plans also owned by CVS Health. Aetna adopted the SilverScript brand for its own Medicare Part D plans. 

Which Drugs Are Covered by Aetna Part D Plans?

Aetna Part D plans cover a wide selection of generic, brand-name and even specialty drugs. Medicare Part D uses a tier system to classify drugs. 

• Tier 1 - Preferred generic drugs that are commonly prescribed.
  
  
• Tier 2 - Generic drugs that typically cost more than those in Tier 1.
  
  
• Tier 3 - Preferred brand-name drugs that do not have a generic version.
  
  
• Tier 4 - Non-preferred drugs that are higher priced and less commonly prescribed.
  
  
• Tier 5 - Specialty drugs that are the most expensive drugs on the list and may require special handling or close monitoring. 

Each Aetna Medicare Part D plan comes with a formulary, or a list of drugs covered by the plan. This list of all drugs covered by Aetna Part D plans includes an alphabetical index on page 103.   

How Much Do Aetna Part D Plans Cost?

Exact rates for Aetna Medicare Part D plans may vary by location, but below are the average monthly premiums for each SilverScript plan as reported by Aetna.¹

Medicare beneficiaries with an income of below $20,385 (individual) or $27,465 (married couple) in 2022 may be eligible for Extra Help. Medicare Extra Help is a program that provides cost assistance for Medicare drug plan premiums, deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs.  

Does Aetna Part D Have a Deductible?

Aetna Part D plans come with a maximum annual deductible of $480 in 2022. However, the deductible does not apply to all tiers of drugs for all plans. Some Medicare drug plans offer deductibles lower than $480 or deductibles as low as $0.

For SilverScript SmartRx, the deductible applies to drugs in tiers 2-5. Tier 1 drugs have no deductible. 

SilverScript Choice requires the deductible for drugs in tiers 3-5. Drugs in tiers 1 and 2 do not require the deductible. 

SilverScript Plus has no deductible for any tier. Coverage begins with the first purchase of any covered drug.

Where Can Aetna Medicare Part D Plans Be Used?

Aetna Part D plans can be used at thousands of pharmacies all over the U.S. and may even be used for mail order delivery of prescription drugs. 

Aetna is owned by CVS Health, so an Aetna Part D plan is valid at any CVS pharmacy in addition to a range of other chain and individual pharmacy locations.  

What Is the Most Popular Medicare Part D Plan?

The most popular Medicare Part D plan in 2022 by market share is the Aetna SilverScript Choice plan, which accounts for 17.4% of all standalone Part D beneficiaries.²

More than 1 out of every 5 beneficiaries with a standalone Part D plan are enrolled in an Aetna SilverScript plan.

Is SilverScript a Good Part D Plan?

Each year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rates the quality of all Part D plans using a five-star scale.

For 2022, Aetna SilverScript plans secured an overall weighted average of 4.29 stars.² Four stars is considered above average.

How Do You Become Eligible for Aetna Part D?

To be eligible for an Aetna Part D plan, you simply must be enrolled in Medicare Part A and/or Part B and live in an area where Aetna sells plans, which is most anywhere in the U.S.

When Can I Enroll in Aetna Part D Plans?

Your first opportunity to enroll in an Aetna Part D plan is during your Initial Enrollment Period. This period begins three months before you turn 65 years old and continues for three months after your birthday. This is your first opportunity to enroll in Original Medicare and/or in a Part D plan. 

Your next opportunity is during the Annual Enrollment Period (or AEP, often called the fall Medicare open enrollment period), which takes place from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 each year. During this time, you may enroll in, drop or switch Medicare Part D plans, or you can enroll, drop or switch Medicare Advantage plans with or without drug coverage.

How Do I Enroll in Part D Drug Coverage?

You can compare standalone Medicare Part D plans to go alongside your Original Medicare benefits or a Medicare Advantage plan that doesn’t already include Part D benefits.

If you want to find Aetna Medicare coverage that includes your Part A and Part B coverage as well as prescription drugs, dental, hearing, exercise programs like SilverSneakers and more, you can compare plans online to see what coverage is available where you live.