What is a Medicare Advantage plan without Part D?

An “MA-only” plan gives you Medicare Advantage medical benefits without built-in Part D prescription drug coverage. It can fit people who already have creditable drug coverage, such as veterans using VA pharmacy benefits.

Can a veteran on a Medicare Advantage HMO or PPO add a separate Part D drug plan?

Generally no. If your Medicare Advantage plan is an HMO or PPO, joining a stand-alone Part D plan disenrolls you from the Medicare Advantage plan. Only an MA-only PFFS plan without drug coverage, or an MSA plan, lets you add a stand-alone Part D plan.

Do veterans pay a Part D late-enrollment penalty if they skip Part D?

Not while they keep creditable drug coverage. Medicare lists VA and TRICARE drug coverage as creditable, so delaying or declining Part D does not trigger the late-enrollment penalty as long as that coverage continues.

Medicare Advantage plans without Part D — for veterans and others who already have drug coverage

Plain-English summary: some Medicare Advantage plans leave out Part D drug coverage. These “MA-only” plans can fit people who already get their prescriptions elsewhere — most often veterans using VA pharmacy benefits. This page explains what they are, the one rule that trips people up, and how many are filed where you live. Reported, not recommended.

IndependentCMS dataNo plan pays for placementNot affiliated with the VA or Medicare

What an “MA-only” plan is

A Medicare Advantage plan bundles your Part A and Part B benefits, and usually adds Part D drug coverage (those are “MA-PD” plans). An MA-only plan is the same kind of medical plan without the built-in Part D benefit. You still get the plan’s doctor, hospital and supplemental benefits and its in-network out-of-pocket maximum — you just don’t get drug coverage through it. MA-only plans are most common among Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) and Medical Savings Account (MSA) plans, and some HMO and PPO plans.

Why a veteran might want one

If you fill prescriptions through the VA, you already have what Medicare calls creditable drug coverage. Two things follow:

No duplicate coverage. A plan with built-in Part D can mean paying for drug coverage you won’t use, because your VA drugs come through VA pharmacies and VA providers, not the plan.
No Part D late-enrollment penalty for delaying or declining Part D — as long as you keep your creditable VA coverage. Medicare lists the VA and TRICARE as sources of creditable coverage.

The same logic applies to people with other creditable coverage: TRICARE For Life, some federal (FEHB) retiree drug plans, and Indian Health Service benefits. Confirm your own coverage is creditable — the VA sends a notice saying so.

The rule that trips people up — read this before you choose an MA-only HMO or PPO. If your MA-only plan is an HMO or PPO, you generally cannot add a separate (stand-alone) Medicare Part D drug plan on top of it — and if you join one anyway, Medicare will disenroll you from the Medicare Advantage plan. Only an MA-only PFFS plan (one that doesn’t offer drugs) or an MSA plan lets you add a stand-alone Part D plan later. So if there’s any chance you’ll want Medicare drug coverage down the road, the plan type matters. (Source: Medicare.gov.)

Before you decide — things to confirm

Your VA drug benefit covers your medications the way you expect — VA drugs come through the VA, not the plan.
Your doctors and hospitals are in the Medicare Advantage plan’s network (MA-only plans still use the plan’s medical network and its in-network out-of-pocket maximum).
Whether you’d ever want Medicare drug coverage later, given the HMO/PPO rule above.
Confirm everything with the plan itself and with the official sources below before enrolling.

MA-only plans filed for 2027, by state

Medicare Advantage plans with no Part D drug coverage, counted from the CMS Landscape file. A plan is counted once per state where it is offered. Open your state, then your county, and look for plans whose drug column reads “No Part D.”

State	MA-only plans
Pennsylvania	21
Florida	20
New York	18
Texas	18
Georgia	17
Virginia	17
Massachusetts	15
Ohio	14
Wisconsin	14
Illinois	12
South Carolina	12
Missouri	11
North Carolina	11
Oklahoma	11
Oregon	11
Utah	11
Iowa	9
Maryland	9
Washington	9
Alabama	8
Arizona	8
Arkansas	8
Kansas	8
Michigan	8
New Jersey	8
Tennessee	8
California	7
Idaho	7
Indiana	7
Kentucky	7
Nevada	7
West Virginia	7
Colorado	6
Maine	6
Nebraska	6
Louisiana	5
Minnesota	5
Mississippi	5
Montana	5
Connecticut	4
Delaware	4
Hawaii	4
Wyoming	4
District of Columbia	3
New Hampshire	3
New Mexico	3
Rhode Island	3
South Dakota	3
North Dakota	2
Puerto Rico	2
Vermont	1

Official help (free, neutral)

VA benefits: va.gov/health-care or 1-877-222-8387.
Medicare: Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048).
Free one-on-one counseling (SHIP): shiphelp.org — your State Health Insurance Assistance Program.

We report what plans filed with CMS; we do not recommend plans, sell insurance, or take your information. See a mistake? tell us.

Sources: plan counts from the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape file (2027). Rules on creditable coverage and on combining plan types from Medicare.gov — creditable coverage and Medicare.gov — your coverage options. Medicare has neither reviewed nor endorsed this page.