To help cover the cost of dialysis medications for kidney disease, most patients will rely on coverage from Medicare Part D or commercial insurance. Many patients who have end-stage renal disease are eligible for Medicare coverage, though some people may use commercial insurance plans instead.
Insurance Terms to Know
The language insurance companies use to describe their plans can be confusing. Here are a few common terms concerning prescription insurance:
- Deductible: the amount a person has to pay toward prescription costs before a health plan pays
- Premium: the fee patients pay periodically (monthly or quarterly) for insurance coverage
- Copay: a set amount patients may have to pay for prescriptions, such as $5 or $10 per fill
- Coinsurance: an amount a patient may have to pay after the deductible, which is usually a percent of the cost of medication
For Medicare Part D coverage, there are some additional terms to know, including initial coverage, the coverage gap or donut hole, and catastrophic coverage. Learn about those here.
