Is tretinoin covered by Medicare Part D?
5,052 of 5,052 Medicare Part D plan offerings (100%) list tretinoin on their 2026 formulary, most often on tier 4; 96.6% of the formularies that cover it require prior authorization. Part D spending on it was $22 million in 2024 for at least 115,580 people: what plans and patients paid at the pharmacy, before manufacturer rebates (CMS Part D Spending by Drug).
- Plans that cover it
- 100%
- 5,052 of 5,052 offerings; the median drug: 76%
- Usual tier
- Tier 4
- from tier 1 to tier 4
- Prior authorization
- 96.6%
- of formularies that cover it; the median drug: 1%
- Quantity limits
- 55.8%
- of formularies that cover it; the median drug: 30%
0.6% of the formularies that cover it require step therapy (trying another drug first).
Source: CMS Part D formulary file, 2026 second quarter: the formularies in use in 2026. A plan's 2027 formulary can differ; check your own plan's coverage in Medicare Plan Finder.
What does it cost under Part D in 2027?
- Your yearly cap in 2027
- Out-of-pocket spending on covered Part D drugs stops at $2,400 in 2027 ($2,100 in 2026); after that, you pay nothing for covered drugs for the rest of the year.
- The deductible
- A plan's drug deductible is at most $700 in 2027 ($615 in 2026); many plans charge less or none.
Source: CMS, Announcement of calendar year 2027 Part D parameters; Medicare.gov, “How much does Medicare drug coverage cost?” (read Oct. 7, 2026).
How much does Medicare spend on it?
Part D spending by year
115,580 people filled it under Part D in 2024, in 237,704 claims. The amounts are what plans and patients paid at the pharmacy, before manufacturer rebates.
Source: CMS Medicare Part D Spending by Drug, 2020 to 2024 (published June 2026). Row used: Tretinoin Microsphere (Tretinoin Microspheres), Tretinoin (Tretinoin).
Which forms and strengths are counted?
- tretinoin 0.0001 mg/mg topical gel
- tretinoin 0.00025 mg/mg topical gel
- tretinoin 0.0004 mg/mg topical gel
- tretinoin 0.0005 mg/mg topical gel
- tretinoin 0.0008 mg/mg topical gel
- tretinoin 0.001 mg/mg topical gel
- tretinoin 0.25 mg/ml topical cream
- tretinoin 0.5 mg/ml topical cream
- tretinoin 1 mg/ml topical cream
- tretinoin 10 mg oral capsule
Which other versions are listed?
The same ingredients under other names, each with its own coverage and spending.
- Altreno (tretinoin)5.1% of plan offerings
- Retin-A (tretinoin)2.3% of plan offerings
What else should you check?
- Stand-alone drug plans for 2027Premiums and deductibles
- Drugs Medicare spends the most onThe 2024 spending list
- 2027 costs and limitsDeductibles and out-of-pocket limits
Data, not medical advice. Coverage is the share of plan formularies listing the drug; your plan's formulary, tier and pharmacy decide what you pay.