A drug benefit: the necessary prescription for Medicare

Given statistics about how much older Americans pay in drug costs, the question is how best to structure a prescription drug benefit, not whether one is desirable or necessary. Several key challenges exist: 1. eligibility, 2. affordability, 3. cost containment, 4. existing coverage, and 5. financing...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Health affairs (Millwood, Va.) Vol. 18; no. 4; pp. 20 - 22
Main Author:	Rother, J
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	United States The People to People Health Foundation, Inc., Project HOPE 01-07-1999
Subjects:	Adverse selection Associations Beneficiaries Cost control Cost Control - legislation & jurisprudence Drug Costs - legislation & jurisprudence Drug stores Drug therapy Employers Geriatrics Government programs Health care policy Health insurance Health maintenance organizations Health policy Health services HMOs Humans Insurance coverage Insurance, Pharmaceutical Services - legislation & jurisprudence Interest groups Medicaid Medicare Medicare - legislation & jurisprudence Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement & Modernization Act 2003-US Mental health Mental health care Pharmaceutical industry Pharmacy benefit management Prescription drugs Prices Private sector Public policy Reimbursement Retirees United States Willingness to pay United States United States > US Canada Europe Western Europe
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Summary:	Given statistics about how much older Americans pay in drug costs, the question is how best to structure a prescription drug benefit, not whether one is desirable or necessary. Several key challenges exist: 1. eligibility, 2. affordability, 3. cost containment, 4. existing coverage, and 5. financing. The AARP is committed to working with leaders on both sides of the aisle, as well as the industry and health plans, to promote a reasonable, workable, and overdue plan.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 content type line 23 ObjectType-Feature-3 ObjectType-Commentary-1
ISSN:	0278-2715 1544-5208
DOI:	10.1377/hlthaff.18.4.20