What is the Donut Hole and How Does it Affect Cancer Patients?
The "donut hole" is a coverage gap in Medicare Part D where beneficiaries must pay a higher percentage of their drug costs. For cancer patients, reaching the donut hole can significantly increase out-of-pocket expenses. However, recent changes have aimed to close this gap, reducing the financial burden. As of 2020, beneficiaries pay 25% of the cost of both brand-name and generic drugs while in the donut hole.
