Impact of Medicare Part D on long-term care

Most residents of long-term-care facilities (LTCFs) have Medicare and are eligible to enroll in the Part D prescription drug benefit. Although nursing home residents face the same issues as other Medicare beneficiaries in choosing and enrolling in a prescription drug plan, they face additional challenges because of their health and the setting in which they live. They may have fewer drug plan choices, the pharmacies they use may not be included in the LTCF network, and their medication requirements vary considerably. This article presents the demographics of LTCFs, common disease states and medication consumption statistics among their residents, the effect of Medicare Part D, the relationship between LTCF pharmacies and prescription drug plans, and the special challenges associated with e-prescribing in long-term care.