Medicare covers insulin and a variety of antidiabetic drugs, including sulfonylureas, biguanides, thiazolidinediones, and alpha-glucosidase inhibitors.
Original Medicare (parts A and B) and Medicare Advantage (Part C) cover insulin administered via a pump and certain diabetes supplies.
Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug (MAPD) benefits and stand-alone prescription drug (Part D) plans offer the most comprehensive coverage for diabetes medications.
MAPD and Part D plans cover a wide range of oral medications for diabetes. These often include:
- sulfonylureas (SUs), like glipizide (Glucotrol) and glyburide (Diabeta)
- biguanides, like metformin (Glumetza)
- thiazolidinediones (TZDs), like nateglinide (Starlix) and repaglinide
- alpha-glucosidase inhibitors (AGIs), like acarbose (Precose)
Medicare Advantage and Part D plans are sold by private insurance companies.
Each plan sets its own cost and coverage amounts. The premiums, deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance amounts you’ll pay depend on your chosen plan.
Prescription drug coverage depends on the plan’s formulary and tier system. The formulary, or list of covered medications, varies from plan to plan. Brand-name medications usually cost more than generics.
Part B covers durable insulin pumps worn outside the body and the insulin used in the pump.
After you pay your deductible — $257 in 2025 — Part B covers 80% of the Medicare-approved cost of the pump. Your coinsurance for a 1-month supply of insulin for a durable pump is $35.
MAPD and Part D plans cover injectable insulin and related supplies, such as syringes, needles, and swabs. Your coinsurance for a 1-month supply of injectable insulin is $35.
MAPD and Part D plans may also cover GLP-1 receptor agonists like liraglutide (Victoza), semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic), and dulaglutide (Trulicity).
GLP-1 medications can be expensive and may come with higher copayments or coinsurance, depending on the drug’s tier in the plan’s formulary.
Most MAPD and Part D plans cover a range of diabetes medications, including oral medications, insulin, and other injectable drugs.
If you have questions about your coverage, you can call Medicare at 1-800-633-4227 (TTY: 1-877-486-2048).
You can also contact your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for additional assistance. To find a program near you, call the SHIP National Technical Assistance Center at 1-877-839-2675.