Which option also enables a consumer to obtain prescription drug coverage?

• A. Enroll in a stand-alone PDP only
• B. Enroll in a MA-PD Plan
• C. Enroll in a Private Fee-For-Service (PFFS) MA-only plan and a standalone PDP
• D. Enroll in a MA-only plan with no drug coverage

Answer: (C)

Prescription drug coverage in Medicare comes from two paths: a plan that includes drugs (an MA-PD) or a standalone Prescription Drug Plan (PDP). If you choose an MA-only plan that doesn’t include drug coverage, you can still get drug benefits by adding a separate PDP. This pairing—an MA-only plan with no drug coverage plus a standalone PDP—ensures you have both medical benefits from the MA plan and drug benefits from the PDP. A stand-alone PDP alone provides drug coverage but doesn’t give MA medical benefits; an MA-PD already includes drug coverage on one plan; and an MA-only plan with no PDP leaves you without drug coverage. Therefore, combining an MA-only plan with a standalone PDP best ensures prescription drug coverage.