President Barck Obama promised to simplify the way seniors buy prescription drugs through Medicare. Health reform legislation in the Senate would try to accomplish that.

The Senate Finance Committee released its proposal for health reform on Sept. 16, 2009, and it calls for the secretary of Health and Human Services to develop standards for simplifying Medicare Part D, which is the prescription drug plan.

The secretary would be required "to develop standardized nomenclature, definitions and language to describe and present the benefit categories on the Part D plan finder and in other relevant beneficiary communications. For example, the secretary could establish three categories of benefit levels — Bronze, Silver and Gold. Plans would be required to indicate the benefit category of each plan in the name of the product. The secretary would also be required to ensure that there are meaningful differences between the benefit categories."

That's a measurable step in the direction toward easy-to-understand comparisons of the Medicare prescription drug plans. It doesn't mention some of the details of Obama's proposal, but it is enough to move the meter. We rate this promise In the Works.