Goodsurance

Drug prices & Part D

A Customs Rule That Would Have Complicated Drug Orders From Canada Is Delayed Three Months

A new paperwork and bonding requirement for international mail containing medications was set to take effect today but was pushed back to January 20, 2027, preserving a cost-saving pathway that many Medicare beneficiaries and other older adults have come to rely on.

By the Goodsurance editorial teamOctober 22, 2026

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection process requiring detailed electronic entry filing and tariff bonds for international mail containing FDA-regulated products was scheduled to go into force on October 22, 2026. Authorities postponed the compliance deadline to January 20, 2027, citing concerns that the rule could raise costs for people who rely on international prescription orders.

The change touches millions of Americans who buy drugs from pharmacies in Canada, India, and other countries to reduce what they pay out of pocket. A KFF Health News report published today described one patient paying 57 dollars for a 90-day Canadian supply of Eliquis, a blood thinner, compared with 486 dollars at U.S. retail prices. Another patient paid 54 dollars for generic Jardiance from an Indian pharmacy versus 641 dollars domestically.

The customs rule that would have restricted personal drug orders from Canada was delayed to January 2027, keeping a cost-saving option open a little longer for seniors managing high Medicare drug costs.

Many who import drugs are older adults who find that their Medicare Part D coverage still leaves them with costs they cannot absorb. Since 2003, the Food and Drug Administration has generally exercised enforcement discretion for small personal-use imports, even though such imports remain technically illegal for most FDA-approved drugs. Under the postponed requirements, carriers and filers would need to submit electronic entry data and secure a customs bond for each shipment, steps that patient advocates warned could produce delays, refusals, or added costs.

The delay was announced around October 15. How the FDA and Customs will apply the rules after January 20 remains an open question as Medicare beneficiaries weigh their Part D options during the current open enrollment window.

In plain words

Many people with Medicare buy medicines from pharmacies in Canada or other countries because prices there are lower. A new government rule was supposed to make that harder starting today. The rule would have required more paperwork and fees for packages of medicine coming from abroad. The government pushed the start date back to January 20, 2027. That gives people more time to keep ordering medicines from other countries. Some people save a lot this way. For example, one person pays 57 dollars for a medicine that costs 486 dollars in the United States. Medicare's drug plans do not always cover every medicine, and some people turn to foreign pharmacies to afford what they need. The rule is still coming in January, so this is worth watching.

Understand the basics first

Source: KFF Health News
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