The first “beneficiaries” of the federal government’s new prescription drug benefit got some good news this week when the feds announced that those people who had to pay for their own medications because of enrollment mix-ups would be reimbursed. Pharmacies and states that stepped into the breach are to be reimbursed, too.

“Dual eligibles,” or those people who qualify for Medicare because of their age and Medicaid because of low income, were shifted to Medicare Part D on Jan. 1. States and health-care experts warned the feds that initiating the program with the most vulnerable of the elderly would be a mistake.

Unlike others who qualify for Part D, dual eligibles had no choice. They had to pick a private plan. Those who didn’t were randomly assigned one. After Jan. 1, some of the estimated 6.2 million affected discovered that their new plan didn’t cover their drugs or that they were lost in the computerized transition or they now had to come up with a co-pay. As a result, chaotic scenes broke out in pharmacies across America. Some states declared public health emergencies and picked up the costs.

Now, federal officials and health insurance representatives say they will make it all up, though it isn’t clear how that will be accomplished. The feds are to be applauded for taking responsibility. They should use this debacle to plan for May 15, which is the deadline for the rest of eligible seniors to sign up for one of the myriad drug plans. Is that deadline realistic? Does the program need to be reworked?

One worrisome aspect of the law is that enrollees are locked into their plans for one year, but insurers can alter their list of covered drugs every two months. That sets the stage for people paying premiums for plans that no longer cover their medications.

Too much of Part D was designed with insurers, rather than patients, in mind. Acknowledging that now can head off the fear, anger and confusion that has marked the start-up of this new government benefit.