The official 2026 figures
CMS set the 2026 annual Part D out-of-pocket threshold at $2,100. The defined standard benefit has a $615 deductible and 25% enrollee coinsurance in initial coverage; covered Part D drugs have no enrollee cost sharing in the catastrophic phase. Actual plan benefit designs can differ from the defined standard design. These are 2026 figures, not a quote for a particular plan.
What else changed
The 2026 instructions address negotiated prices for selected drugs and a selected drug subsidy. They also describe creditable-coverage methodology changes. A plan’s status and an individual’s costs require verification using the applicable documents; a national summary cannot determine those outcomes.
Our practical document check
Before copying a number into an email or presentation, label its coverage year and source. Do not carry these 2026 figures into a 2027 comparison. Maintain a separate list of approved current-year reference materials and retire older versions from your everyday script folder.
Answer the actual question
If someone asks what they will pay, collect the information required by your approved comparison process and use current plan tools. Explain what has been confirmed and what has not. Keep the national policy summary available as background, while making the individual comparison from the correct plan and year.
Official sources
Source links checked October 1, 2026. Official guidance and applicable plan documents take priority over this summary.