Prescription Drugs: Publications

Making the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) Work: How States Can Help People with Medicare examines how this legislation improves the Medicare Savings Programs and the Part D Low-Income Subsidy, making Medicare more affordable for low-income beneficiaries. It includes tips for advocates. 12 pp. (February 2010)

Key Priorities to Help Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries discusses three actions Congress should take to improve the Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) and the Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) as part of health reform. 1 page. Print copies free. (May 2009)

Medicare: Helping Low-Income Seniors and People with Disabilities examines the high out-of-pocket costs Medicare beneficiaries face and how health reform should improve existing programs that help them afford these costs. 2 pp. Print copies free. (May 2009)

The Medicare Drug Benefit: How Much Will You Pay? These tables can help you estimate what you'll pay for prescription drugs under the Medicare drug benefit, including those enrolled in Medicaid. (updated April 2009)

Welcome to the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit: An Illustration of the Doughnut Hole (updated January 2009)

Buyer Beware: Higher Costs, More Confusion for the 2008 Part D Enrollment Season discusses several reasons why Part D enrollees, especially those with low incomes, should carefully examine their plans to see if the plans will continue to suit their needs. These reasons include rising premiums, the widening "doughnut hole," and other changes in coverage. 4 pp. Free (November 2007)

Medicare Part D Drug Prices Are Climbing Quickly explains that private insurance plans have not been able to negotiate lower drug prices in the Medicare Part D drug program, creating a growing burden for seniors and taxpayers. 4 pp. Free (April 2007)

Rhetoric versus Reality: Comparing Medicare Part D Prices to VA Prices rebuts the main arguments against comparing drug prices under Medicare Part D and those obtained by the Department of Veterans Affairs. 4 pp. Free (April 2007)

No Bargain: Medicare Drug Plans Deliver High Prices presents an analysis of drug prices that Part D plans charge for the 20 drugs most frequently prescribed to seniors for each of the plans offered by the five largest Part D insurers compared to the prices secured by the VA. We found that VA prices are substantially lower than the lowest prices charged by the largest Part D insurers for all of these 20 drugs. We also found that the seven largest U.S. pharmaceutical companies spent more than twice as much on marketing, advertising, and administration as they did on R&D. 23 pp. $15.00 (January 2007)

Picking a Part D Plan: Déjà Vu All Over Again? discusses why beneficiaries, advocates, and health care providers should be aware of changes in Part D plans that will affect coverage in 2007. It also urges all beneficiaries to examine premiums, drug costs, formularies, and drug restrictions to find the best Medicare drug plan. 4 pp. Free (November 2006)

See All Families USA Publications on Prescription Drugs

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