Rural enrollment in Medicare Part D is growing slowly.

In December 2008, 8 in 10 rural Medicare beneficiaries had creditable prescription drug coverage, and over half of these beneficiaries were enrolled in a prescription drug coverage option offered through the Medicare Part D program (Figure 1). However, the array of coverage patterns for rural and urban beneficiaries is strikingly different. Rural beneficiaries are more likely to enroll in standalone prescription drug plans (PDPs), while urban beneficiaries are much more likely to enroll in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans that offer prescription drug coverage (MA-PD plans), which are more available in urban areas.