Medicare Drug Benefits

The addition of a Medicare drug benefit (Part D) was an unprecedented change to Medicare and brought with it the opportunity for all beneficiaries to enroll in coverage for prescription drugs. Part D has been less expensive than originally projected and beneficiaries have reported high levels of satisfaction with the program. However, Part D and its effects are constantly under scrutiny and assessment. To help Americans choose the best coverage for them in terms of cost and access, and find suggestions for what to do when they experience problems getting the medications they need, the National Pharmaceutical Council, in conjunction with 11 other organizations, developed the Your Pharmacy Benefit (YPB) program. NPC also supported research examining issues that states and lawmakers needed to take into consideration upon enactment of the drug benefit.