With all the current confusion over the new Medicare Part D drug benefit program, it only seems reasonable to give the state insurance commissioner the information she needs to try to help Kansas consumers negotiate the maze.

In comments Thursday, Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger called on the federal government to delay the May 15 signup deadline for Part D so modifications can be made. Praeger, whose office has received hundreds of calls about the plan, also has requested state legislation that would require private insurance plans offering Part D coverage to register with her department. That, she said, would give her department “the ability to advocate for our senior consumers on problems related to Medicare Part D.”

Whether that requirement can be enacted at the state level or will take federal action, it makes sense for state insurance commissioners to be aware of what companies are offering coverage to consumers in their states. The Kansas Insurance Commissioner’s office has a strong record of providing consumers the help they need to make informed insurance decisions.

Clear information seems to be sorely lacking in the Medicare Part D signup process and enlisting the help of state insurance commissioners in clarifying the situation seems like a smart move.