Is Eliquis Covered by Medicare

Is Eliquis Covered by Medicare – Overview

Medicare coverage for medications, including blood thinners like Eliquis, is determined by the specifics of the individual’s Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan. However, prices will vary according to your plan.

Eliquis is a brand-name drug, so its list price is exceptionally high. In fact, some people end up paying the total cost of the drug.

However, it can be challenging to find out how much you expect to pay for Eliquis when you have Medicare coverage.

Fortunately, we’ll discuss that in this review. We’ll also discuss what you need before Medicare covers your Eliquis costs and how the different parts of Medicare cover this drug.

What Do You Need Before Medicare Covers Your Eliquis Costs

Prior Authorization

For Eliquis coverage under Medicare, your Part D plan may require prior authorization, which involves your physician submitting documentation to prove the medical necessity of the medication.

This is known as prior authorization, and it requires that your Medicare provider approve the medications you’re receiving before you receive them.

Once your Medicare provider gives the go-ahead, you can get Eliquis medication at a discounted price.

Step Therapy

Your Medicare provider might also require you to first try other types of medication before pursuing Eliquis Medicare coverage.

Step therapy may be required by your Medicare Part D plan, where you must try one or more cost-effective alternatives before the plan will cover Eliquis.

Step therapy acts as a buffer to your Medicare provider to ensure that you’ve tried cheaper alternative meds before seeking expensive meds such as Eliquis.

You can check whether your Medicare plan requires step therapy by checking the Medicare Plan Finder.

How Much Does Eliquis Cost?

As illustrated above, the cost of Eliquis is prohibitively high for many people, coming in at over $600 for a month’s supply.

In 2025, Medicare Part D enrollees pay about $54 per month on average for Eliquis. If the listed price seems high, it’s no mistake, but you can still expect to pay considerably less.

The amount you pay for prescription meds varies based on:

1. Coinsurance or co-payments
2. The formulary (Eliquis is typically a Tier 3 drug on Medicare plans (source)
3. The type of Medicare coverage
4. Whether you’ve hit your yearly deductible sum (no Part D plan deductible can exceed $590 in 2025). (source)

However, you can use other methods to save on the cost of prescription meds, including:

1. Applying for the ‘Extra Help’ program
2. Looking for charitable programs that can pay a portion of your drug’ costs
3. Opting for a generic alternative or lower-cost medication (note: a true generic for Eliquis isn’t expected until 2028
4. Seeking help from state pharmaceutical assistance programs

However, keep in mind that if the above options aren’t available, you might still need to pay the drug’s full list price, but starting in 2025, Medicare Part D will cap your annual out-of-pocket drug costs at $2,000.

Because Eliquis is such an expensive drug, ensure that your Medicare plan covers as much of the costs as possible.

Which Parts of Medicare Cover Eliquis

Medicare Part A & B (Original Medicare)

If you have original Medicare (Part A & B) coverage, you can usually access prescription meds coverage through your Medicare Part D plan.

Original Medicare can also cover the associated costs of hospital services (Part A) and medical services (Part B).

Therefore, if you have original Medicare, Part A will cover the cost of the drugs provided while in the hospital.

Most people don’t pay premiums for Medicare Part A, but they might need to pay a deductible. According to the Centre for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the deductible in 2025 is $1,676 (source).

On the other hand, Medicare Part B has a standard monthly premium of $185.00 in 2025 (with a $257 annual deductible).

Medicare Part C

Private insurance companies offer Medicare Advantage (Part C).

Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) are required to cover all the services that Original Medicare covers, but they also offer additional benefits, including prescription drug coverage, which varies by plan.

While formularies vary by provider, virtually all Medicare Part D and Advantage plans now cover Eliquis.

What’s more, apart from the cost of drugs, if you have Medicare Part C coverage, you must use in-network pharmacies and pay your plan’s set premium.

The premium varies based on the plan and provider. However, you can use Medicare’s tool to identify a Medicare plan that offers coverage for your current medication.

Medicare Part D

Meds in the formulary are placed in different tiers, with the lower ones occupied by cheap meds.

Before you enroll in any plan, check the formulary to see whether it includes Eliquis and the cost of the drug.

Also, note that premiums for Medicare Part D vary depending on your plan, but you can use Medicare’s plan comparison tool to compare prices.

Final Thought

To sum it all up, Medicare Part C and D usually cover the cost of Eliquis because it’s a prescription drug.

Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) covers hospital and medical services, respectively. Prescription drug coverage is primarily provided through Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plans.

See Also

Integrative Medicine Training for Physicians

Medicare Mental Health Coverage

Grants for Prescription Drugs

What is Medigap

Does Medicare Pay for Nursing Homes

Does Medicare Cover Braces

Grants for Medications