NEWS & EVENTS 
SPECIALTY CARE
As Medicare Advantage and Part D open enrollment for 2026 begins, many patients with type 2 diabetes are facing new uncertainty about how to afford their medications—especially those who rely on the NovoCare Patient Assistance Program for Ozempic.
Beginning in 2026, NovoCare will no longer offer patient assistance for individuals with Medicare prescription coverage. To help clinicians support their patients through this change, MCT2D Co-Program Director Heidi Diez, PharmD, has created a new two-page resource to guide patient conversations and next steps.
New MCT2D Resource: Navigating Medicare Coverage for Ozempic (2026)
This clinician-facing tool provides:
- Clear, step-by-step guidance for patients to check whether their current Medicare Advantage or Part D plan covers Ozempic® and at what cost.
- Instructions on how to use Medicare.gov Plan Compare and Q1Medicare.com to explore coverage and cost options for 2026.
- Tips on taking advantage of open enrollment (before December 7, 2025) to choose a plan that best supports their diabetes care needs.
- Contact information for Michigan’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to connect patients with free, personalized help reviewing plan options.
Why This Matters
For many patients, open enrollment is the only time each year they can make changes to their Medicare plan. Clinicians play a key role in helping patients make informed decisions that will affect both medication affordability and continuity of care in 2026.
Encourage patients to review their current coverage now, compare options, and act before the December 7, 2025 enrollment deadline.
Related MCT2D Tools to Support Clinicians and Patients
MCT2D has developed several complementary resources to help you navigate medication access challenges and coverage transitions with your patients:
- Guide to Patient Assistance Programs (Updated for 2026) – A comprehensive, up-to-date reference for clinician and patient eligibility, income thresholds, and application links for SGLT2, GLP-1 RA, and GIP medications.
- GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Shortages: How to Support Patients – A practical decision aid for safely transitioning patients from one incretin mimetic to another during medication shortages or coverage changes.
These resources are designed to help clinicians maintain continuity of care for patients with type 2 diabetes during a period of major coverage shifts and formulary realignment.
Download the Navigating Medicare Coverage for Ozempic: A 2026 MCT2D Guide
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ccteam@mct2d.org
Support for The Michigan Collaborative for Type 2 Diabetes (MCT2D) is provided by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan as part of the BCBSM Value Partnerships program.
Although Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and MCT2D work collaboratively, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of BCBSM or any of its employees.