On May 13, Health Affairs released a study examining enrollment in Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage and the subsidy program for low-income seniors established in the law that created Medicare Part D.  The study found that in 2006, 63 percent of all eligible seniors and 69 percent of eligible low-income beneficiaries were enrolled in Medicare Part D.  However, the study found that during the same time only 29 percent of low-income beneficiaries were enrolled in the subsidy program.  Those who were not enrolled in the prescription drug program cited costly premiums, difficulty enrolling, and difficulty obtaining information about enrollment as reasons for not joining the drug program.  The study also suggests that the national health care reform law may reduce enrollment in Medicare Part D for certain beneficiaries, and proposes expanding eligibility and changing policies to make enrollment easier.

Davidoff, A.J., et. al. (2010). Lessons learned: who didn't enroll in Medicare Advantage drug coverage in 2006, and why? Health Affairs, Published online May 13, 2010. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2009.0002. http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/hlthaff.2009.0002v1

Authors: Amy J. Davidoff, Bruce Stuart, Thomas Shaffer, J. Samantha Shoemaker, Melissa Kim and Christopher Zacker