Nearly Nine of 10 Seniors Satisfied with Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Coverage, National Survey Finds

Large Majorities Say Their Plan Is a Good Value, Feel Consumer Choice is Important Feature of Part D

WASHINGTON – Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage continues to enjoy overwhelming approval among the nation’s seniors, according to a nationwide survey released today by Medicare Today. Eighty-nine percent of Americans age 65 and older are satisfied with their coverage and 85 percent say that they consider their Medicare drug plan to be a good value.

The survey of approximately 2,000 seniors – conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of the nonpartisan Medicare Today alliance – also found 80 percent of seniors said their total out-of-pocket costs are reasonable.

Prior to the announcement of the survey results, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that average Medicare Part D monthly premiums will remain stable at $32.50 in 2016. Premiums have remained at approximately this level since 2011, another indication of program success.

“Medicare Part D continues to be a program that achieves its mission, bettering the health and lives of millions of Americans who have affordable access to the medications they need,” said Mary R. Grealy, chair of Medicare Today and president of the Healthcare Leadership Council, a coalition of chief executives from all sectors of American healthcare. “This survey underscores that the structure of Part D, providing consumer choice and encouraging competition among plans, is delivering value to consumers.”

Other key findings in the survey include:

• Seven in ten seniors said having a variety of Part D plans from which to choose is important.

• Over 90 percent of seniors reported that their plan is convenient to use and that they understand how their plan works.

• Seventy-seven percent of beneficiaries said they feel fortunate to have their coverage and 71 percent reported greater piece of mind.

The survey was conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of Medicare Today. Full survey results can be found here.

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About the Survey
Morning Consult conducted a national survey of 2,021 adults who are 65 and older and 1,792 seniors who have prescription drug coverage. The interviews were conducted online from July 8-13, 2015. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points.

About Medicare Today
Medicare Today is a coalition of national and local organizations representing seniors, health care providers, employers, patients and consumer groups focused on providing beneficiaries with reliable information on the Medicare program and its benefits. Medicare Today was created by the Healthcare Leadership Council, an alliance of chief executives of the nation’s leading healthcare companies and organizations from all health sectors.