Passage of the Medicare bill entailed some of the most significant changes to the program in its history. Although the new prescription drug benefit will provide substantial assistance to low-income individuals, what its true impact will be is unclear. Other changes, including incentives intended to greatly expand the role of private health plans, may in some cases prove detrimental to the frail, sick, and poor. The Fund's Program on Medicare's Future provides independent analysis of changes to Medicare and develops policy options that could improve coverage for beneficiaries. Under the leadership of Barbara S. Cooper, this grant will provide overall strategic direction for the program, develop new projects, coordinate ongoing work, and direct efforts to disseminate findings of program-supported work to policy leaders and the public. The program director will also participate in the critical review of Medicare-related reports submitted for Fund publication, prepare issue briefs and summaries of Fund work, and represent the program in public forums. http://www.georgetown.edu