In short
- Nebraska has 9 standalone Part D plans from 5 companies for 2027, down from 11 plans from 6 companies in 2026.
- SilverScript Choice and HealthSpring Extra Rx are not offered in Nebraska for 2027. Members need to pick a new plan by December 7, 2026.
- The 2027 standard deductible is $700 (up from $615) and the out-of-pocket cap is $2,400 (up from $2,100).
- 22 of Lancaster County's 26 standard Medicare Advantage plans include drug coverage for 2027, down from 24 of 29.
- Check your own Lincoln pharmacy in each plan's 2027 pharmacy list. Preferred and standard pharmacies can charge different copays for the same drug.
Drug coverage is often the part of a Medicare bill that moves most from one year to the next, and 2027 brings a bigger change than usual. Fewer standalone plans, a higher deductible and a higher cap all arrive on January 1. This page covers what that means in Lincoln. The statewide Part D guide explains formularies, tiers and the basics.
Which drug plans can Lincoln residents choose for 2027?
Two kinds: 9 standalone Part D plans, which you pair with Original Medicare, and the drug coverage built into most Medicare Advantage plans. CMS sets up standalone plans by region, and Nebraska sits in Region 25 with Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. So a Lincoln address gets the same 9 standalone plans as one in Scottsbluff.
| Drug coverage option | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Standalone Part D plans in Nebraska | 11 plans, 6 companies | 9 plans, 5 companies |
| Lancaster County Medicare Advantage plans with drugs | 24 of 29 | 22 of 26 |
Medicare Advantage drug coverage is offered county by county, so this is where Lincoln differs from the rest of the state. Medica's plans leave Lancaster County for 2027, and Devoted Health's arrive. Plan availability, premiums, pharmacy networks and formularies vary by county and change every year. The Lincoln Medicare Advantage page lists every company.
If you are deciding between the two kinds, the standalone Part D vs Medicare Advantage drug coverage comparison walks through the trade-offs.
What do the 2027 deductible and cap mean for a Lincoln budget?
You can owe more before your plan starts paying, and up to $300 more over the year if you take expensive medications. The federal numbers:
| Part D standard benefit | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Deductible (maximum) | $615 | $700 |
| Your share after the deductible | 25% | 25% |
| Out-of-pocket cap | $2,100 | $2,400 |
After you reach the cap, covered drugs cost you nothing for the rest of the year. Insulin stays capped at $35 for a month's supply, with no deductible. If a big pharmacy bill in January is the worry, the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan spreads your costs across the year. If you use it now and stay in the same plan, your enrollment renews automatically for 2027.
Premiums are moving too. CMS says every Nebraskan in a standalone plan can find one with a lower premium than they paid in 2026. KFF found that no standalone plan will charge a zero premium in 2027 to people without Extra Help, and some popular plans are raising premiums sharply. The out-of-pocket cap explainer covers what counts toward the $2,400.
What if you have SilverScript Choice or HealthSpring Extra Rx?
Pick a new plan before December 7, 2026. Both standalone plans leave Nebraska for 2027, according to the CMS plan data. You should have a notice in the mail explaining what happens to your coverage. Read it rather than assuming you will be moved into something that fits your medications.
How does Bill compare drug plans at the Lincoln office?
Medications first, every time. Bring your bottles or a printout from your pharmacy with each drug's name, dose and how often you take it. Bill enters them for both kinds of coverage, checks how each plan tiers them, then checks your Lincoln pharmacy in each plan's network. A pharmacy can be preferred on one plan and standard on another, with a different copay for the same prescription.
He expects a busy fall. His own read is that a lot of people around here will change plans this year, mostly because of the drug coverage changes. You can read more about his approach in why every review starts with your medications.
Is your Lincoln retiree drug coverage creditable?
Ask, and get the answer in writing. Lincoln has a lot of public retirees from the State of Nebraska, Lincoln Public Schools and the University. If you retired from BNSF, Kawasaki or another Lincoln employer with a retiree plan, the same question applies. Medicare requires a plan to tell you each year whether its drug coverage is creditable, meaning it is expected to pay at least as much as standard Part D.
If it is, you can keep it and skip Part D without a penalty. If it is not, or you drop it, you have a limited time to join a Part D plan. Keep the yearly notice. Your future Part D plan may ask for proof. The late enrollment penalties guide has worked examples.
Where can Lincoln residents get help paying for prescriptions?
Start with Extra Help, the federal program that lowers Part D costs. In 2026, the limits are $23,940 in income and $18,090 in resources for one person ($32,460 and $36,100 for a married couple). In 2027 it caps copays at $5.80 for generics and $14.40 for brand-name drugs. About 16.7% of Nebraskans in standalone drug plans already get it, CMS says. The Extra Help guide explains how to apply through Social Security.
Local help in Lincoln:
- Aging Partners, 600 S 70th St, 402-441-7070, where counselors for people 60 and older cover Part D and the low-income Medicare programs.
- Nebraska SHIP (formerly SHIIP), 1526 K Street, Suite 201, or 1-800-234-7119.
- 1-800-MEDICARE, 1-800-633-4227 (TTY 1-877-486-2048), which answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
When your list is ready, talk to Bill and he will run it against the plans available at your address.
Frequently asked questions
Nine standalone Part D plans from five companies, according to CMS. Standalone drug plans are offered by region, and Nebraska shares a region with six other states, so the same nine are available in every Nebraska county. Lincoln residents can also get drug coverage inside Medicare Advantage: 22 of Lancaster County's 26 standard Medicare Advantage plans include it for 2027.
SilverScript Choice, the CVS Health standalone drug plan, is not in the CMS 2027 plan list for Nebraska, and neither is HealthSpring Extra Rx. If you have either one, read the notice your plan sent. Choose a new drug plan between October 15 and December 7, 2026, so coverage starts January 1, 2027 with no gap. A gap of 63 days or more without creditable coverage can lead to a lifetime late penalty.
The 2027 cap is $2,400, up from $2,100 in 2026. Once what you pay for covered Part D drugs reaches that amount, you pay nothing more for covered drugs for the rest of 2027. The standard deductible also rises, from $615 to $700, although some plans set a lower deductible. Compare the full-year cost of your own medications, not just the cap.
No. Each plan has its own pharmacy network, and many split it into preferred and standard pharmacies with different copays. A pharmacy can be preferred on one plan, standard on another and out of network on a third. Before you enroll, look up the exact Lincoln pharmacy you use in the plan's 2027 pharmacy directory, and compare mail order if you take maintenance medications.
You apply for Extra Help through Social Security, online or by phone. In Lincoln, Aging Partners benefits counselors help people 60 and older with low-income Medicare programs (402-441-7070), and Nebraska SHIP can help at 1-800-234-7119. In 2026, the limits are $23,940 in yearly income and $18,090 in resources for one person. Medicaid and Medicare Savings Program enrollees qualify automatically.
Sources
- CMS: 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D state fact sheets (opens in a new tab)
- CMS: CY 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D landscape files (opens in a new tab)
- CMS: CY 2027 Rate Announcement (Part D parameters) (opens in a new tab)
- KFF: Part D stand-alone drug plan premiums for 2027 (opens in a new tab)
- Medicare.gov: Help with drug costs (Extra Help) (opens in a new tab)
- Medicare & You 2027 handbook (opens in a new tab)
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.
