Am I required to use my Medicare Part D prescription drug plan?
No. The Medicare Part D program is voluntary and, like any insurance-type program, you can choose to not use your prescription drug plan and pay your prescription costs out of your own pocket.
A number of key changes were certainly made in the Medicare Part D program with the passage of the 2010 health care law (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, P.L. 111-148, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010; P.L. 111-152 - together known as the Affordable Care Act), however, (as of 2011) Medicare beneficiaries with a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan where not required to use their plan when purchasing their prescription medications - - although it should always be more economical when you use Medicare Part D plan.