If your health care provider prescribes lisinopril to treat a qualifying condition, your Medicare benefits may cover some or all of the cost of this medication.
Conditions Treated by Lisinopril
Known as an ACE inhibitor, lisinopril is prescribed to aide in the recovery of a heart attack and for the treatment of high blood pressure and congestive heart failure.
Whether as a tablet or liquid solution, lisinopril is prescribed as an oral medication. Brand names for Lisinopril include Prinivil, Zestril and Qbrelis. A physician may prescribe a low dose to start and then increase the amount of medication you take or how often you take it depending on how your body reacts to the medication. Additional lab work may be required while you are taking this medication so that your doctor can monitor kidney or liver function.
Benefits and Risks Associated with Lisinopril
Lisinopril works by blocking the body from creating an enzyme that tightens blood vessels. When tension inside the blood vessels increases, blood pressure rises. By allowing the blood vessels to relax, lisinopril can help lower your blood pressure and more blood supply and oxygen to reach your heart.
Although it’s necessary for prescription drugs to be potent enough to be effective, these medications can sometimes cause side effects alongside their benefits. Indigestion or gastrointestinal discomfort is common with many new medications. Headaches, dizziness or any impaired vision should be reported to your health care provider or pharmacist.
If you have any known allergies to common classes of prescription drugs, your prescribing physician should be notified of your medical history so they can help you avoid preventable complications. This medication may negatively impact the effectiveness of other prescription medications, so your health care provider should also know about any other medications you may be taking before you start taking lisinopril. This includes any over-the-counter medication or nutritional supplements.
Medicare Coverage for Lisinopril
Although prescription drug coverage is not a part of Original Medicare benefits, recipients can add prescription drug coverage by enrolling in a stand-alone Part D Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) or a Medicare Advantage Plan that includes Part D coverage (MA-PD).
The insurers carrying these Part D plans determine what medications show up on their formulary, which is the list of medications they cover, and which pricing tier a medication falls under. An insurance provider may offer more than one prescription drug plan.
Higher monthly premiums typically mean a wider range of benefits, fewer restrictions and lower copays. Coverage for a medication like Lisinopril can be dependent not only on which Part D carrier you choose, but which of their plans you enroll in.
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