What Xarelto is used for
Xarelto is an anticoagulant (blood thinner). Its FDA label includes reducing the risk of stroke in atrial fibrillation not caused by a heart valve problem, treating and preventing DVT and pulmonary embolism, preventing clots after hip or knee replacement, and, at a low dose with aspirin, reducing the risk of major heart events in people with coronary or peripheral artery disease.
This page explains Medicare coverage only. Questions about whether Xarelto is right for you belong with your prescriber.
Which part of Medicare covers Xarelto
Xarelto is a tablet (and an oral suspension for children) taken at home, so it's a Part D drug. Different strengths treat different conditions, and a plan's formulary can list some strengths and not others, so check the exact strength you take.
Is Xarelto on Medicare's negotiated-price list?
CMS selected Xarelto in the first round of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, and its negotiated price took effect January 1, 2026. In October 2025, CMS determined that a generic version had been approved and marketed, and under the law a drug then leaves the program: CMS removes Xarelto from the selected list effective January 1, 2027. The negotiated price applies through December 31, 2026, and not after.
Generics
CMS took Xarelto out of the program because a generic rivaroxaban was approved and marketed. A generic may not come in every strength you need; your pharmacist can tell you which strengths are available as generics and whether your plan covers them.
What changes for Xarelto in 2027
From January 1, 2027, plans cover Xarelto like any drug without a negotiated price, and some may prefer the generic. Your plan's Annual Notice of Change, mailed by September 30, says whether Xarelto stays on the formulary and on what terms. If your plan moves or drops it, you can switch plans during Open Enrollment (through December 7, 2026), ask your prescriber about the generic, or request an exception.
What you pay for Xarelto in 2027: the out-of-pocket cap
Your cost for Xarelto depends on your plan: its deductible, the tier it puts the drug on, and whether you use a preferred pharmacy. This site doesn't list plan costs; your plan's formulary and Evidence of Coverage do. What Medicare sets for everyone with Part D is the limit:
- 2027 out-of-pocket cap: $2,400 (it was $2,100 in 2026). Once what you pay for covered Part D drugs (deductible, copays and coinsurance) reaches the cap, you pay nothing more for covered Part D drugs for the rest of 2027.
- The maximum Part D deductible for 2027 is $700. No plan can set a higher deductible, and some have none.
- Only covered drugs count. If your plan doesn't cover Xarelto and you pay cash, or you use a discount card instead of your plan, that spending doesn't count toward the cap.
Spreading the cost: the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan
Every Part D plan and Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage offers the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. Instead of paying the pharmacy, you get a monthly bill from your plan that spreads your costs across the calendar year. Medicare.gov says there's no cost to participate and no interest, but it doesn't lower your drug costs; it only changes when you pay. It helps most when costs are high early in the year. To join, call your plan or use its website. More in What is the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan?
Extra Help with Xarelto
Extra Help (the Low-Income Subsidy) is a federal program that lowers Part D premiums, deductibles and copays. For 2027, CMS caps Extra Help copays for covered drugs at $5.80 for a generic and $14.40 for a brand-name drug, and some people with full Medicaid pay less. You get Extra Help automatically if you have Ohio Medicaid, a Medicare Premium Assistance Program (Ohio's name for the Medicare Savings Programs) or SSI; otherwise apply through Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or ssa.gov/extrahelp. See Extra Help in Ohio.
Getting Xarelto covered in Ohio
Ohio is its own Part D region (PDP Region 14; no other state shares it), so each standalone Part D plan sold in Ohio is offered in all 88 counties. For 2027, CMS lists 9 standalone Part D plans from 5 companies in Ohio, and 119 Medicare Advantage plans open to everyone are offered across the state; CMS data show Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage in every Ohio county for 2027. Each plan has its own formulary, so one plan's coverage of Xarelto tells you nothing about another's. Your county's numbers are on Ohio counties.
If you have full Ohio Medicaid and Medicare, your prescriptions are paid by your Medicare drug coverage, not by Ohio Medicaid, and you get Extra Help automatically. In MyCare Ohio, your Medicaid plan is assigned but the Medicare side is your choice; choosing the same MyCare plan for Medicare puts your drug coverage in that one plan. See MyCare Ohio.
If your Medicare Advantage plan ends in 2027, you have a special enrollment period through February 28, 2027; choose new drug coverage by December 31, 2026, to avoid a gap. See plans ending in 2027.
If you run out and can't reach your prescriber, Ohio law (ORC 4729.281) lets a pharmacist refill a non-controlled drug you take regularly when going without it could harm you: the first time up to a 30-day supply, then shorter supplies, no more than three times in 12 months. Whether your plan pays for that fill depends on its rules. See early refills before a winter storm.
How to check whether a plan covers Xarelto
- Write down the exact drug. Name, strength and how often you take it. A plan can cover one form or strength of Xarelto and not another.
- Look it up in each plan's formulary. Enter your drugs and ZIP code on PlanMatch or Medicare.gov's Plan Finder to see which plans list Xarelto and any rules.
- Read the rules next to the drug. Prior authorization, step therapy or quantity limits mean your prescriber may need to send the plan information before it pays.
- Check your 2027 notice. Your plan's Annual Notice of Change says whether Xarelto stays on the formulary next year. Open Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, 2026, for coverage starting January 1, 2027.
- Get help if you want it. You can request a call from a licensed insurance agent, who can compare plans from the companies they work with, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227, TTY 1-877-486-2048) for information on all of your options.
If your plan doesn't cover Xarelto, you or your prescriber can ask for a coverage determination or a formulary exception. Once the plan has your prescriber's supporting statement, it generally must decide within 72 hours, or 24 hours if your prescriber says waiting could seriously harm your health. New members can usually get a one-time transition supply of a drug they were already taking while they ask for an exception or switch. See How do I appeal a Medicare denial in Ohio?
Sources
- National Library of Medicine — DailyMed: Xarelto prescribing information (FDA label)
- Medicare.gov — Drug coverage (Part D)
- CMS — Selected drugs and negotiated prices (Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program)
- FDA — Orange Book: approved drug products and generic equivalents
- eCFR — 42 CFR 423.120 (formularies, protected classes and transition fills)
- CMS — CY 2027 Rate Announcement (2027 Part D out-of-pocket threshold and Extra Help copays)
- Medicare.gov — Medicare Prescription Payment Plan
- Social Security — Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug plan costs
- CMS — Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape files, 2027 (PDP Region 14: Ohio)
- Ohio Revised Code — Section 4729.281, pharmacist refills without a prescriber's authorization
Frequently asked questions
Does Xarelto still have a Medicare negotiated price in 2027?
No. CMS removes Xarelto from the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program effective January 1, 2027, after a generic version was approved and marketed. The negotiated price applies during 2026 only.
Will my plan keep covering Xarelto in 2027?
That depends on the plan. Check your Annual Notice of Change or the plan's 2027 formulary, and compare plans before December 7, 2026, if it changed.
Does the 2027 Part D out-of-pocket cap apply to Xarelto?
Yes, when your Part D plan covers Xarelto. In 2027, once you've paid $2,400 for covered Part D drugs, you pay nothing more for covered Part D drugs for the rest of the year.
What if my plan doesn't cover Xarelto?
Ask the plan for a coverage determination or formulary exception, with a supporting statement from your prescriber, or compare plans during Open Enrollment, October 15 to December 7. New members can usually get a transition fill while they ask.
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