What Xtandi is used for
Xtandi is enzalutamide, an androgen receptor inhibitor taken by mouth once a day as capsules or tablets. Its FDA label covers castration-resistant prostate cancer, metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer, and non-metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer with biochemical recurrence at high risk for metastasis. For several of those uses, the label says patients should also get hormone therapy (a GnRH analog) or have had surgery to remove the testicles.
This page explains Medicare coverage only. Questions about whether Xtandi is right for you belong with your oncologist.
Which part of Medicare covers Xtandi
Xtandi is a Part D drug. Medicare.gov says Part B covers some cancer drugs you take by mouth, but only if the same drug is available in an injectable form or is a prodrug of the injectable drug; Xtandi isn't one of them. Xtandi is a specialty drug, so plans commonly require prior authorization and may require a specialty pharmacy that ships to your home.
The hormone shots often given alongside Xtandi are different: Medicare.gov says Part B covers most injectable and infused drugs when a licensed medical provider gives them, so a shot given in your doctor's office is generally billed to Part B, or to your Medicare Advantage plan's medical coverage.
Is Xtandi on Medicare's negotiated-price list?
Yes. CMS selected Xtandi in the second round of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, and its negotiated price takes effect January 1, 2027; CMS's November 2026 data file lists Xtandi capsules and tablets. A negotiated price (the law calls it the "maximum fair price") is what Medicare drug plans and pharmacies pay; it isn't your copay. What you pay still depends on your plan's cost sharing. Another prostate cancer drug, Erleada, is on the list CMS selected on January 27, 2026, for prices that take effect in 2028. See Which drugs have Medicare negotiated prices in 2027?
Generics
CMS can only select drugs without generic competition, and Xtandi remains on its 2027 list. If your plan prefers a different treatment, your oncologist can ask for an exception.
What you pay for Xtandi in 2027: the out-of-pocket cap
Your cost for Xtandi 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.
- Only covered drugs count. If your plan doesn't cover Xtandi 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
The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you pay your Part D drug costs in monthly bills from your plan across the calendar year instead of all at once at the pharmacy. Medicare.gov says there's no cost to participate, but it doesn't lower your drug costs; it only changes when you pay. It helps most when your costs are high early in the year. With a high-cost drug like Xtandi, your first fill or two of the year may bring you to the cap, which is exactly when spreading the cost can help. To join, call your plan or use its website. More in What is the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan?
Extra Help with Xtandi
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 full Florida Medicaid, SSI or a Medicare Savings Program (QMB, SLMB or QI-1, which you apply for through ACCESS Florida, run by the Department of Children and Families). Otherwise, apply through Social Security at ssa.gov/extrahelp or 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Florida has no state drug-assistance program for seniors, so Extra Help is the main public help with Part D costs. See Extra Help in Florida and does Florida have a state drug program for seniors?
Getting Xtandi covered in Florida
Florida is its own Part D region (PDP Region 11), so each standalone Part D plan sold here is offered in all 67 counties. For 2027, CMS lists 11 standalone Part D plans from 6 companies in Florida. Every county also has Medicare Advantage plans open to everyone, from 7 in Monroe County to 52 in Hillsborough County. Each plan has its own formulary, so one plan's coverage of Xtandi tells you nothing about another's. Your county's numbers are on Florida counties.
Hurricane season: Xtandi doesn't need refrigeration; the label says to store it at room temperature in a dry place with the container tightly closed, with brief trips up to 86°F allowed. Because specialty pharmacies often ship by mail, ask before a storm how yours handles deliveries, and keep your plan's number handy. Medicare.gov says that if you live in a declared disaster area, your drug plan can help you find another in-network pharmacy, replace drugs that were lost, damaged or left behind when you evacuated, and fill prescriptions at an out-of-network pharmacy when you can't reasonably reach a network one (keep your receipts). CMS guidance also expects Medicare drug plans to lift "refill-too-soon" limits after a federal disaster declaration. Florida's emergency-refill law (s. 252.358) makes insurers and HMOs licensed by the Office of Insurance Regulation allow early refills when your county is under a hurricane warning or a state of emergency, but it doesn't mention Medicare, so ask your Medicare plan directly. See early refills before a hurricane.
State Group Insurance retirees: if you keep State of Florida retiree coverage once you have Medicare, the State's secondary PPO or HMO plan includes prescription drug coverage the State says is creditable (as good as Part D), so you don't need a separate Part D plan, and the State's group Medicare Advantage (MA-PD) plans include Part D. Either way, Xtandi follows the State plan's drug rules. The State says a retiree who cancels State coverage can't re-enroll later, so call People First (866-663-4735) before joining any outside Medicare plan. See Florida state retirees and Medicare.
Medicare and Florida Medicaid: if you have full Medicaid and Medicare, your Medicare drug coverage, not Medicaid, pays for Part D drugs like Xtandi, and you get Extra Help automatically. In Florida, people with Medicare usually get full Medicaid through SSI, Medically Needy (share of cost) or long-term-care Medicaid: MEDS-AD, the program for aged and disabled adults, leaves out people on Medicare unless they're getting nursing-home, hospice or home and community-based care. See Florida Medicaid and Medicare.
Snowbirds: a Florida Part D plan's service area is Florida, and you can belong to only one Part D plan, tied to your permanent home. If you spend part of the year in another state, ask the plan whether its pharmacy network includes pharmacies where you'll be, or whether it offers mail order, before you leave with your Xtandi. A Part D plan disenrolls you only after more than 12 months away. See snowbird prescriptions.
Plans ending in 2027: at least 302,773 Floridians in regular Medicare Advantage plans that are leaving or ending must choose new coverage for 2027. If yours is one, your plan sends a non-renewal letter and you have a special enrollment period through February 28, 2027; to keep Xtandi covered without a gap, choose new drug coverage by December 31, 2026. See plans ending in 2027.
How to check whether a plan covers Xtandi
- Write down the exact drug. Name, strength and how often you take it. Xtandi capsules and tablets are separate products.
- 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 Xtandi 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 Xtandi 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 Xtandi, 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 Florida?
Sources
- National Library of Medicine — DailyMed: Xtandi prescribing information (FDA label, including storage)
- Medicare.gov — Prescription drugs (outpatient): what Part B covers
- CMS — Selected drugs for initial price applicability year 2028 (fact sheet, January 2026)
- Florida Division of State Group Insurance — Frequently asked questions: retirees (Medicare, Part D, re-enrollment)
- Florida DCF — ESS Program Policy Manual, chapter 2000 (MEDS-AD, QMB, SLMB, QI-1)
- eCFR — 42 CFR 423.44 (Part D disenrollment, including absence from the service area)
- Medicare.gov — Drug coverage (Part D)
- CMS — Selected drugs and negotiated prices (Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program; data file of November 2, 2026)
- CMS — CY 2027 Rate Announcement (2027 Part D out-of-pocket threshold, deductible and Extra Help copays)
- Medicare.gov — Medicare Prescription Payment Plan
- Social Security — Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug plan costs
- eCFR — 42 CFR 423.120 (formularies and transition fills)
- CMS — Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape files, 2027 (PDP Region 11: Florida)
- Medicare.gov — Getting drugs in a disaster or emergency
- CMS — Pharmacy access during a federal disaster declaration: Q&As for Part D plan sponsors (2017)
- Florida Statutes — s. 252.358, emergency prescription refills
Frequently asked questions
Does Xtandi have a Medicare negotiated price in 2027?
Yes. CMS selected Xtandi in the second round of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, and its negotiated price takes effect January 1, 2027. Your copay still depends on your plan.
Why isn't Xtandi covered by Part B like other cancer drugs?
Part B covers cancer drugs you take by mouth only when the same drug comes in an injectable form or is a prodrug of one. Xtandi doesn't qualify, so it's covered under Part D.
Can the out-of-pocket cap help with Xtandi?
Yes. With a high-cost drug, you may reach the 2027 cap of $2,400 early in the year; after that you pay nothing more for covered Part D drugs in 2027. The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan can spread those costs into monthly bills.
What if my plan doesn't cover Xtandi?
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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