SeniorLiving.org’s Best Recommendations for Medicare Part D Plans

Humana serves over 17 million customers and has been in business since 1961. The company is known for its excellent customer service, and ranked No. 1 for customer experience quality in Forrester’s 2024 U.S. Customer Experience Benchmark survey for the fourth year in a row.1 Humana offers one plan with $0 deductibles and copays for Tier 1 and Tier 2 drugs. The carrier keeps costs down by networking with Walmart and Sam’s Club. Humana has great mobile app features that let you check your policy and coverage or reorder medications. They also have a fitness app for those who want to stay active.

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Our Experience With Humana Part D

Humana has three distinct Part D plans to choose from, one more than AARP. That said, plan availability varies by location. We looked for Part D plans in Miami, Florida, and all three plans were available. We had access to the $0 deductible Humana Premier Rx Plan, and monthly premiums ranged from $22.90 to $132.30 across all plans, so there were options for Medicare beneficiaries on different budgets.

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However, one thing to consider is that all three plans received three-star ratings (i.e. Average) from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for 2025. These ratings consider many important factors like the quality of customer service, overall member experience, accuracy of drug pricing, and how quickly members could get appointments. 2 Humana has historically received higher ratings than most other carriers, including HealthSpring.

Humana’s Medicare Part D plans offer low overall costs, membership perks, and nationwide availability. If you travel often, take preferred generics, or enjoy mobile fitness apps, their plans may be worth considering. You may also qualify for a one-on-one, comprehensive review of the medications you take with a specialist through Humana’s Medication Therapy Management Program. This just goes to show that Humana cares about their customers’ well-being.

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Humana provides several other types of insurance for Medicare beneficiaries. You can check out our latest Humana Medigap review and Humana Medicare Advantage review for more information.

With more than 230 years in business and serving over 180 million customers, HealthSpring stands out among insurance carriers. HealthSpring offers Medicare Part D plans in 50 states and Washington, D.C. They have over 63,000 pharmacies and more than 3,000 medications as part of their formulary.

With HealthSpring’s lower premiums, deductibles, and copays for Tier 1 and 2 drugs at preferred pharmacies, you may get a great price compared to some other carriers. HealthSpring also offers excellent online perks and discounts to some members, such as savings on LASIK vision correction or certain yoga products and acupuncture.

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Our Experience With HealthSpring Part D

HealthSpring offers two stand-alone Part D plans: HealthSpring Healthcare Assurance Rx and HealthSpring Healthcare Extra Rx. We researched plans available in Chicago, Illinois, and we appreciated that all the plans offered ample benefits at different price points. The quoted monthly premiums were $104.20 (Assurance) and $66.60 (Extra). HealthSpring makes it easy to compare each plan based on what it offers.

While all three plans have a CMS rating of 2.5 stars for 2026, we liked that HealthSpring put this information just below the name of each plan. With most other carriers on this list, we had to look into plan documentation or dig up the CMS reports to get the star ratings. So, even though Humana got higher overall ratings, we appreciate HealthSpring’s transparency.

HealthSpring is one of our recommendations for Medicare Part D carriers because of their pricing, plan coverage, and availability. You may be able to choose from three Part D plans, ranging in monthly premium prices and deductible costs. HealthSpring’s plans offer a $0 copay for Tier 1 preferred generic medications when you choose mail order from a pharmacy with preferred cost-sharing. That can add up to significant savings in money and time! HealthSpring also earns points for extras, such as ease of website navigation and added customer perks.

Check out our HealthSpring Medigap review and HealthSpring Medicare Advantage review for more details on HealthSpring’s other insurance offerings.

With three plans varying in coverage and cost levels, Wellcare’s Part D plans are customized to fit various budgetary and medication needs. Their low-premium Value Script PDP may be ideal for those who don’t take much medication, and if they do, it’s generic. Wellcare’s Classic PDP is a middle-of-the-road Part D plan. Wellcare comes with an extensive network of over 60,000 pharmacies that offer preferred retail cost-sharing.

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Our Experience With Wellcare Part D

We researched Wellcare’s PDPs in New York City and found that both plans were available. We were quoted $42.40 per month for Value Script and $45.70 for Wellcare Classic. Though prices can vary a lot by location, these were lower than comparable plans from HealthSpring. Both Wellcare PDPs received 3.5-star ratings from CMS.

As one of the largest managed care organizations across the United States, Wellcare’s plan offerings, including their tiered Medicare Part D plans, are noteworthy. Their large pharmacy network rivals health care giants like Aetna and HealthSpring. Wellcare also delivers Medicare Advantage plans complete with dental, hearing, and vision benefits.

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Check out our review of Wellcare Medicare Advantage plans to learn more about their insurance offerings.

Aetna serves more than 39 million people and has been in business for over 170 years, making them an industry mainstay. Aetna is now a subsidiary of CVS and has over 65,000 pharmacies in their network for accessible nationwide coverage. They also offer a wide range of coverage options, including Medicare Part D, Medigap, and comprehensive coverage plans.

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Our Experience With Aetna Part D

Unlike Humana and HealthSpring, Aetna only has one standalone Part D plan, SilverScript Choice. While they had three options before, Aetna eliminated their SilverScript SmartSaver and SilverScript Plus plans in 2025. We researched premiums and benefits for applicants in Atlanta, Georgia, and got a competitive quote at $100.70 per month.

Like HealthSpring, Aetna shows the CMS star ratings of all plans upfront so you don’t have to go hunting for the information — something we really appreciate. The SilverScript Choice plan for 2026 has a three-star rating, which is lower than Humana. Even so, we appreciate transparency when shopping for plans. We also liked that Aetna’s plan was relatively affordable compared to carriers like AARP. This means Aetna may be a great option for seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries who don’t want to pay a fortune for a PDP, but still want ample coverage for their prescription medications.

We feel Aetna may be a good option for your Medicare Part D plan if you are on a fixed income or looking for an extensive pharmacy selection because you travel frequently. It may also be a great choice if you currently take little to no medication but are looking for an affordable PDP so you won’t pay the late enrollment penalty down the line.

See our Aetna Medigap review and review of Aetna’s Medicare Advantage plans for more information.

AARP’s MedicareRx prescription drug program from UnitedHealthcare may be another excellent option to consider for your Medicare Part D plan. UnitedHealthcare has been in business since 1977, serves more than 27 million people, and, in 1997, teamed up with AARP for better Medicare prescription drug coverage. AARP has great ratings, and you may be able to save even more by using their preferred partner pharmacies, Walgreens and Duane Reade. You can also review your policy and manage prescriptions from one mobile app, plus access a plethora of educational materials from their website.

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Our Experience With AARP Part D

AARP only offers two stand-alone Part D plans: Medicare Rx Saver from UHC and Medicare Rx Preferred from UHC. One downside to these plans is that, unlike most other carriers on this list, there are very few instances where the policyholder can enjoy $0 copays. We researched premiums and benefits in Houston, Texas, and were quoted $89.20 per month for the Saver plan and $114.80 per month for the Preferred plan.

Considering that the Preferred plan has a $130 annual deductible (compared to $615 with the Saver plan) and lower copays in most instances, we think the Preferred could offer a better value to most Medicare beneficiaries, even if you only take one or two medications. That said, AARP’s premiums are still a little high, especially when taking all the various copays into consideration. It’s important to note that AARP doesn’t require you to become an AARP member to enroll in a Part D or Medicare Advantage plan — this requirement only applies to AARP’s Medigap plans. However, we still think it’s worth the extra $15 per year for all the additional resources and senior discounts.

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If you are an older adult looking for a Medicare Part D carrier, you may consider AARP prescription drug plans from UnitedHealthcare. Although the AARP MedicareRx Preferred PDP may have higher monthly premiums, it also has a $0 deductible across drug tiers, which may be worth the price in our book.

Check out our UnitedHealthcare review and AARP Medicare Advantage review for more information.