You'd better shop around

Medicare beneficiaries are well advised to compare prices before they commit to buying one of the new Medicare-endorsed drug discount cards. For example, www.drugstore.com beat the discount card price of cholesterol-lowering Lipitor. Even greater savings were available by ordering through www.minnesotarxconnect.com, a site that links you to online Canadian pharmacies visited and recommended by Minnesota state officials.

Medicare officials say the drug discount card prices could come down as card sponsors react to competition. They recommend that seniors visit www.medicare.gov and window shop for a couple of weeks before commiting.

For low-income senior citizens, the Medicare-endorsed cards are a good deal. The annual fee is waived if you make less than $12,569 a year (less than $16,862 a year for a couple). Those folks get $600 in credit toward their medication purchases with the card.