Medicare strives to improve access to affordable treatments to help keep Ohioans healthy.
Check out what’s new in 2024 to help you manage your health.
Saving money on your prescription drugs
Starting January 1, 2024, if you have Medicare drug coverage (Part D) and your drug costs are high enough to reach the catastrophic coverage phase, you don’t have to pay a copayment or coinsurance. Extra Help — a program that helps cover your Part D drug costs — will expand to cover more drug costs for certain people with limited resources and income.
Coinsurance amounts for some Part B-covered drugs may be less if a prescription drug’s price increased higher than the rate of inflation.
Lower costs for insulin and vaccines
Your Medicare drug plan can’t charge you more than $35 for a one-month supply of each insulin product Part D covers, and you don’t have to pay a deductible for it.
If you take insulin through a traditional pump that’s covered under Medicare’s durable medical equipment benefit, that insulin is covered under Medicare Part B. You won’t pay more than $35 for a month’s supply and the Medicare deductible no longer applies.
Recommended adult vaccines are also now available at no cost to you.
Changes to telehealth coverage
You can still get telehealth services at any location in the U.S., including your home, until the end of 2024. After that, you must be in an office or medical facility located in a rural area to get most telehealth services. There are some exceptions, like for mental health services.
Managing and treating chronic pain
Medicare now covers monthly services to treat chronic pain if you’ve been living with it for more than three months.
Better mental health care
Starting January 1, 2024, Medicare will cover intensive outpatient program services provided by hospitals, community mental health centers, and other locations if you need mental health care.
More times to sign up for Medicare
If you recently lost (or will soon lose) Medicaid, you may be able to sign up for Medicare or change your current Medicare coverage. There are other special situations that allow you to sign up for Medicare.
COVID-19 care
Medicare continues to cover the COVID-19 vaccine, and several tests and treatments to keep you and others safe.
To learn more, see the 2024 Medicare and You Handbook.