Medicare Online Pharmacy Coverage
Key Takeaways
- To get prescription drug coverage on Medicare, you can sign up for a standalone Medicare Part D plan or switch to a Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan.
- You can purchase covered medications from online pharmacies that are in your plans provider network.
- Some online pharmacies have alternative approaches to offer discounts and delivery.
- Prioritize safety and privacy when choosing an online pharmacy.
These days, picking up your medications doesn’t have to mean standing in line at the local pharmacy. In a 2023 survey, McKinsey found that while retail chains were still the most popular source for prescription drugs, 13% of consumers said they mainly used an online or mail-order pharmacy.
The growing popularity of ordering medications online may be because of convenience and savings. A study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine found that the out-of-pocket costs for one in five prescriptions were cheaper when purchased through an online pharmacy with a discount card program.
If you’re like most U.S. adults 65 and older, you get your insurance through either Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan. Here’s what you need to know about Medicare online pharmacy coverage.
How Prescription Drug Coverage Works on Medicare
The federally administered Original Medicare program consists of Medicare Part A, which is hospital insurance, and Part B, which is medical insurance. To get coverage for most prescription medications, you must also enroll in a Medicare Part D plan from a private insurance carrier.
Alternatively, you can choose a Medicare Advantage plan, also called Medicare Part C. Private insurance carriers offer these plans, which substitute for Original Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans often provide additional benefits such as Part D drug coverage.
What Part D Plans Cover
Each standalone Part D plan or Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan maintains its own list of covered drugs called a formulary. That list must include at least two drugs in all the most prescribed categories, but otherwise there can be differences between plans.
Formularies are organized into tiers, with the least expensive, generic drugs on the lowest tier and pricier specialty drugs on the highest tier. You’ll generally spend more in copayments or coinsurance, the amount you pay out of pocket when you fill a prescription, for upper-tier drugs.
Costs of Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage
As of 2025, the federal government sets an annual limit for your out-of-pocket spending on covered drugs. That cap starts at $2,000 but may be adjusted every year based on changes in prescription costs.
If you’re on Medicare and don’t have prescription drug coverage from another source, such as through an employer-provided plan or veterans benefits, enroll in Part D coverage as soon as possible to avoid monthly late-enrollment penalties after you do sign up.
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Does Medicare Cover Online Pharmacies?
Medicare Part D plans and Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans cover drugs purchased through online pharmacies. To get the most from this coverage, you may need to order from pharmacies that are part of your plan’s provider network, including businesses that have agreed with your insurance carrier to charge less for prescriptions.
The mail order plans for many Medicare Part D plans allow you to purchase up to a three-month supply of a covered medication online from an in-network pharmacy. However, you may only be able to buy a single month’s supply of certain drugs due to safety reasons or the costs of top-tier specialty medications.
What Online Pharmacies Take Medicare?
Online pharmacies accept payment through various insurance carriers, including many Part D and Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans. Check what pharmacies are in your plan’s network.
In addition, some online pharmacies offer alternative approaches to pricing and delivery for certain drugs. Services can set a range of policies for people on Medicare and other types of insurance. Depending on your plan and your individual needs, you may be able to get drugs at a lower cost and more conveniently with options like these Amazon Pharmacy, Express Scripts, and Cost Plus Drugs.
Does Amazon Pharmacy Take Medicare?
Amazon Pharmacy accepts most insurance, including Medicare Part D plans, and offers automatic refills. This online pharmacy also features a subscription service for Amazon Prime members called RxPass.
In 2024, RxPass announced that it would accept members who are on Medicare. The service charges $5 per month for one or more generic drugs from a list of about 50. The company estimated that someone who took at least one of those medications year-round would save $70 annually by subscribing.
Express Scripts and Medicare
Express Scripts offers up to three-month supplies of drugs and automatic refills for people on Medicare. The online pharmacy takes Medicare Part D coverage, but it can also be used by Medicare enrollees who are not on a prescription drug plan.
Does Cost Plus Drugs Take Medicare?
Cost Plus Drugs is an online pharmacy that specializes in selling generic drugs at a discount and does not currently work with Medicare. For certain medications, you may be able to save money by ordering through a service like Cost Plus, but it’s no substitute for a Part D or Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan. You’ll still need drug coverage for when you’re prescribed more specialized medications.
Choose a Safe Online Pharmacy
Like any time you shop online, it’s important to take precautions to keep yourself safe when buying prescription drugs. Watch out for websites that operate illegally or scam customers with counterfeit medications.
Buying drugs from one of these sites can be risky because you might end up with drugs that don’t contain the prescribed amount of an active ingredient or are ineffective because they were not stored properly. They may have additional ingredients, potentially causing a dangerous drug interaction or allergic reaction.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends looking out for these warning signs that an online pharmacy is unsafe:
- The site doesn’t require a doctor’s prescription to order medications.
- The pharmacy isn’t licensed in the U.S. and your state’s board of pharmacy.
- Prices are much lower than from other pharmacies.
- There’s no licensed pharmacist available to answer questions.
- You receive drugs that look different from what you’ve received in the past for the same prescription.
- Drugs arrive in damaged packaging.
- Drugs are expired when they arrive, or there’s no printed expiration date.
- You receive charges for items you didn’t order.
- The site sells your personal information to other companies.
If you’re enrolled in Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan, online pharmacies can make it easier to get your prescription medications. By choosing a plan with the coverage and provider network that fit your needs, you’ll be able to access the care, services, drugs, and supplies that allow you to manage your health while saving money.