**GAO-08-719**                      Published: Jun 27, 2008. Publicly Released: Jul 28, 2008.                  

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## Highlights

Medicare Part D coverage is provided through plan sponsors that contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). As of April 2008, about 26 million beneficiaries were enrolled in Part D. When beneficiaries encounter problems with Part D, they can either file a complaint with CMS or a grievance with their plan sponsors. CMS centrally tracks complaints data and plan sponsors must report summary data on grievances for each of their contracts. GAO provided information on (1) complaints and what they indicate about beneficiaries' experiences with Part D, (2) whether grievances data provide additional insight about beneficiaries' experiences, and (3) CMS's oversight of the complaints and grievances processes. To conduct its work, GAO reviewed CMS's complaints and grievances data and interviewed the plan sponsors of eight, judgmentally selected contracts, which accounted for 40 percent of 2006 enrollment.

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## Topics

Health Care

BeneficiariesClaims processingClaims settlementData collectionData integrityGrievance proceduresHealth care policiesHealth care programsInformation managementInternal controlsMedicareNoncompliancePolicy evaluationProgram managementReporting requirementsReports managementGovernment agency oversight