There's nothing secret about medicare benefits but it is hard for doctors and patients to get a quick answer about what is covered.

That is, until people in Hawaii put their minds to finding a solution.

When doctor Chien-Wen Tseng isn't caring for patients, she's busy solving problems about things like drug coverage.

"Here's the hypertension drugs, migraine headaches."

About 170 doctors islandwide have been using a chart she helped create as a researcher with the Pacific Health Research Institute and the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine.

It compares prescription coverage from a handful of commercial plans

"You can tell this to doctors and they actually know better, ahead of time, what is covered for their patients instead of trying to guess."

A new study led by Doctor Tseng does the same for medicare part d.

"We know this helps physicians because it helps them to know what's covered, but what makes us feel really good is it also helps patients."

Last year, medicare part-d drug coverage was expanded to cover 1 out of every 2 seniors, plus people on disability.

But which plan covered what drugs and for how much became hard to follow.

"We actually had to spend about 3 or 4 months to get on the website and look up for all these drugs, cross over 100 plans which drugs are covered."

Doctors say this kind of research will leave them with more time for their patients.

"It saves an incredible amount of time, because you don't always have the time to get on the internet and look up that specific drug."

And it will assure people are on the best medication they can afford.

"The sooner i find out whether the drug is covered, then the patient will get their drug sooner."

The research covered Hawaii and California plans. It took such a groundbreaking approach that it's become an article in the latest edition of the journal of the american medical association.

Story Updated: Jun 20, 2007 at 5:25 PM HST