Study Data from Duke University Provide New Insights into Managed Care and Specialty Pharmacy (Addressing complexity: The development and pilot testing of a user-friendly Medicare Part D patient decision aid tool): Drugs and Therapies – Managed Care and Specialty Pharmacy

2025 SEP 12 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Researchers detail new data in Drugs and Therapies - Managed Care and Specialty Pharmacy. According to news reporting out of Durham, North Carolina, by NewsRx editors, research stated, “Selecting a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan can be challenging because of limited health insurance literacy and complex plan features. Existing online tools, such as the Medicare Plan Finder (MPF), often lack personalization.”

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from Duke University, “To describe the conceptualization and development of a personalized Medicare Part D decision aid (DA) to supplement the MPF. A user-centered, iterative design process informed by the Ottawa Decision Support Framework and International Patient Decision Aid Standards was used to develop a DA that helps older adults with Part D plan selection. First, a literature review and 1-hour interviews with Medicare-eligible individuals informed the development of a prototype. These individuals formed a stakeholder advisory board (SAB). The first prototype was then alpha tested with 2 SAB focus groups. Using focus group feedback, the final prototype was developed. Beta testing participants, including Medicare-eligible individuals and Medicare counselors, were recruited and completed an online version of the DA, alongside pre-DA and post-DA questionnaires to examine DA effectiveness using a modified Health Insurance Literacy Measure, a modified System Usability Scale, and a user satisfaction survey. Before the development of the prototype, SAB interviewees (n = 9) suggested that simplified explanations of insurance terminology and side-by-side comparisons of options would be important to the DA. Alpha testing (n = 7) feedback was used to modify the first prototype to improve usability and clarity. Among 25 beta testing participants, Health Insurance Literacy Measure scores increased from 19.76 (SD = 7.15) before using the aid to 24.13 (SD = 4.02) afterward ( = 0.0009). Approximately one-quarter of participants indicated that they would change to a new plan after the tool, whereas half affirmed that the DA validated their existing plan choice.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “This pilot study shows that a user-centered, interactive DA can improve health insurance literacy and support Medicare Part D plan decisions.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Addressing complexity: The development and pilot testing of a user-friendly Medicare Part D patient decision aid tool. Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy, 2025;31(9):868-878. Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy can be contacted at: Acad Managed Care Pharmacy, 100 N Pitt St, 400, Alexandria, VA 22314-3134, USA.

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Abigail VanLonkhuyzen, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC. Additional authors for this research include Devika A. Shenoy, Bradley Q. Fox, Sabrina M. Morales, Sai H. Rachakonda, Gina Upchurch and Anna Hung.

Publisher contact information for the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy is: Acad Managed Care Pharmacy, 100 N Pitt St, 400, Alexandria, VA 22314-3134, USA.

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