<P> The Medicare Part D coverage gap ( informally known as the Medicare donut hole ) is a period of consumer payment for prescription medication costs which lies between the initial coverage limit and the catastrophic - coverage threshold , when the consumer is a member of a Medicare Part D prescription - drug program administered by the United States federal government . The gap is reached after shared insurer payment - consumer payment for all covered prescription drugs reaches a government - set amount , and is left only after the consumer has paid full , unshared costs of an additional amount for the same prescriptions . Upon entering the gap , the prescription payments to date are re-set to $0 and continue until the maximum amount of the gap is reached OR the current annual period lapses : copayments made by the consumer up to the point of entering the gap are specifically not counted toward payment of the costs accruing while in the gap . </P>
<P> The Medicare Part D coverage gap ( informally known as the Medicare donut hole ) is a period of consumer payment for prescription medication costs which lies between the initial coverage limit and the catastrophic - coverage threshold , when the consumer is a member of a Medicare Part D prescription - drug program administered by the United States federal government . The gap is reached after shared insurer payment - consumer payment for all covered prescription drugs reaches a government - set amount , and is left only after the consumer has paid full , unshared costs of an additional amount for the same prescriptions . Upon entering the gap , the prescription payments to date are re-set to $0 and continue until the maximum amount of the gap is reached OR the current annual period lapses : copayments made by the consumer up to the point of entering the gap are specifically not counted toward payment of the costs accruing while in the gap . </P>
what is the doughnut hole in medicare part d
what is the doughnut hole in medicare part d
a period of consumer payment for prescription medication costs which lies between the initial coverage limit and the catastrophic - coverage threshold
a period of consumer payment for prescription medication costs which lies between the initial coverage limit and the catastrophic - coverage threshold