Medicare Part D: Decisions, decisions, decisions

Medicare prescription drug coverage should save many people some money, but it puts a new burden on beneficiaries to be smart shoppers.

Part D prescription drug coverage is the biggest expansion of the Medicare program since it started in 1965. It's long overdue. Prescription drugs were an afterthought 40 years ago; now so much of medical care depends on them. And research has shown that people tend to skimp on needed medications unless they have some insurance coverage.