Does Original Medicare cover prescription drugs?

Part A (hospital coverage) and Part B (doctor and outpatient coverage) cover some drugs given in a hospital or clinic setting, but they do not cover the everyday medications you pick up at a pharmacy. To get that coverage, you add Part D, the prescription drug part of Medicare, which is offered through private plans. You can pair a standalone Part D plan with Original Medicare. If you skip drug coverage when you are first eligible and do not have other qualifying coverage, you may owe a late enrollment penalty later. So Original Medicare alone leaves a gap that Part D is designed to fill.