--- title: "Study Reviews Decision Tools for Medicare Part D Plans | Sutter Health" description: "Research found that personalized, machine-based recommendations helped Medicare Part D enrollees more confidently choose prescription drug plans." url: "https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/research-innovation/machine-based-expert-recommendations-and-insurance-choices-among-medicare-part-d-enrollees" --- 1. [Home](https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research & innovation](https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/research-innovation) / 3. Machine Based Expert Recommendations And Insurance Choices Among Medicare Part D Enrollees # Machine-Based Expert Recommendations, Insurance Choices Among Medicare Part D Enrollees Research found that personalized, machine-based recommendations helped Medicare Part D enrollees more confidently choose prescription drug plans. November 12, 2020 by Sutter Health ![Machine-Based Expert Recommendations, Insurance Choices Among Medicare Part D Enrollees](https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/sutterhealt962c-sutterhealt8fce-production57cc-4860/media/Project/SutterHealth/Vitals/research-and-innovation/MachineBased-Expert-Recommendations-And-Insurance-Choices-Among-Medicare-Part-D-Enrollees-P-f0461bf2.jpg?h=720&iar=0&w=1280 "Machine-Based Expert Recommendations, Insurance Choices Among Medicare Part D Enrollees") Bundorf MK, Polyakova M, Stults C, Meehan A, Klimke, R, Pun T, Chan AS, Tai-Seale M. _Health Affairs._  2019 Mar;38(3):482-490. [View the study](https://www.healthaffairs.org/action/doSearch?AllField=Machine-based+expert+recommendations+and+insurance+choices+among+medicare+Part+D+Enrollees) ### ABSTRACT: Choosing a health insurance plan is difficult for many people, and patient-centered decision support may help consumers make these choices. We tested whether providing a patient-centered decision-support tool-with or without machine-based, personalized expert recommendations-influenced decision outcomes for Medicare Part D enrollees. We found that providing an online patient-centered decision-support tool increased older adults’ satisfaction with the process of choosing a prescription drug plan and the amount of time they spent choosing a plan. Providing personalized expert recommendations as well increased rates of plan switching. Many people who could have accessed the tool chose not to, and the characteristics of people who used the tool differed from those who did not. We conclude that a patient-centered decision-support tool providing personalized expert recommendations can help people choose a plan, but different approaches may be necessary to encourage more people to periodically reevaluate their options. **Keywords:**  Medicare Part D; RCT; choice; health insurance; information tool; nudge; prescription drugs. ## Topics [Technology and Health](https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/search?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_healthTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Technology+and+Health%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=articles) ## Related articles ### [A Workplace Built on Purpose and Possibility](https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/our-people/a-workplace-built-on-purpose-and-possibility) ### [When Communities Lead Healthcare](https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/community-impact/when-communities-lead-healthcare) ### [Sutter Health Collaborates with OpenEvidence to Bring Evidence-Based, AI-Powered Insights into Physician Workflows](https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/media-resources/press-releases/sutter-health-collaborates-with-openevidence-to-bring-evidence-based-ai-powered-insights-into) ### [Sutter Recognized for Using Technology to Improve Care](https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/media-resources/press-releases/sutter-recognized-for-using-technology-to-improve-care) [See all from Research & innovation](https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/research-innovation) ## Check your Vitals Get the latest in health innovation, community impact and patient care from Sutter Health — delivered straight to your inbox. [Subscribe to Vitals](https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/subscribe) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"WebPage","name":"Study Reviews Decision Tools for Medicare Part D Plans","description":"Research found that personalized, machine-based recommendations helped Medicare Part D enrollees more confidently choose prescription drug plans.","url":"https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/research-innovation/machine-based-expert-recommendations-and-insurance-choices-among-medicare-part-d-enrollees","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/research-innovation/machine-based-expert-recommendations-and-insurance-choices-among-medicare-part-d-enrollees#breadcrumblist"}} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","@id":"https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/research-innovation/machine-based-expert-recommendations-and-insurance-choices-among-medicare-part-d-enrollees#article","url":"https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/research-innovation/machine-based-expert-recommendations-and-insurance-choices-among-medicare-part-d-enrollees","headline":"Study Reviews Decision Tools for Medicare Part D Plans","description":"Research found that personalized, machine-based recommendations helped Medicare Part D enrollees more confidently choose prescription drug plans.","articleSection":"Research & innovation","inLanguage":"en-US","datePublished":"2020-11-12T04:20:22-08:00","dateModified":"2026-09-14T13:36:50-07:00","author":[{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Person","name":"Sutter Health"}],"publisher":{"@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org"},"abstract":"Research found that personalized, machine-based recommendations helped Medicare Part D enrollees more confidently choose prescription drug plans.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/sutterhealt962c-sutterhealt8fce-production57cc-4860/media/Project/SutterHealth/Vitals/research-and-innovation/MachineBased-Expert-Recommendations-And-Insurance-Choices-Among-Medicare-Part-D-Enrollees-P-f0461bf2.jpg?h=720&iar=0&w=1280","width":"1280","height":"720","caption":"Machine-Based Expert Recommendations, Insurance Choices Among Medicare Part D Enrollees"},"thumbnailUrl":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/sutterhealt962c-sutterhealt8fce-production57cc-4860/media/Project/SutterHealth/Vitals/research-and-innovation/MachineBased-Expert-Recommendations-And-Insurance-Choices-Among-Medicare-Part-D-Enrollees-P-f0461bf2.jpg?h=720&iar=0&w=1280","isPartOf":{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/#website","name":"Vitals - Sutter Health","url":"https://vitals.sutterhealth.org"},"mainEntityOfPage":"https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/research-innovation/machine-based-expert-recommendations-and-insurance-choices-among-medicare-part-d-enrollees","keywords":["Technology and Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/research-innovation/machine-based-expert-recommendations-and-insurance-choices-among-medicare-part-d-enrollees#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research & innovation","item":"https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/research-innovation"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Machine Based Expert Recommendations And Insurance Choices Among Medicare Part D Enrollees"}]} ```