The Medicare drug benefit, introduced in 2006, is one of the largest changes in prescription coverage to ever take place in the U.S. The Part D benefit is enormously complex, and that complexity has implications for patients and physicians as well as policymakers.

Although dually eligible patients (covered by both Medicare and Medicaid) were automatically enrolled in the Part D benefit, other seniors have faced numerous choices as to which type of coverage to select (e.g., Part D, Medicare Advantage, or an alternative plan) and into which plan to enroll.

Little is known about the physician’s role in this process. On the one hand, research and reports in the lay press suggest that many patients might be confused about their choices and that many patients wish to discuss topics such as their out-of-pocket drugs costs with their physicians. Yet numerous barriers exist that prevent better patient-physician communication about out-of-pocket drug costs. However, it is not clear to what degree physicians perceive that it is their responsibility to advise patients about Part D, although it has been documented that many beneficiaries do expect assistance from their physi-cians. In addition, it has been noted that physicians do share some responsibilities for guiding patients in obtaining needed medications. canadian cialis

We undertook the current study to assess physicians’ familiarity with Medicare Part D, their perceived responsibility for advising patients about Part D enrollment, and some of the attributes of physicians who have accepted that responsibility.