Overview

Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the House Ways and Means Committee. My name is Bruce Stuart. I am a Professor at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. I also direct the Peter Lamy Center on Drug Therapy and Aging which conducts research on Medicare beneficiaries' drug coverage, utilization, and outcomes. I am pleased to be here this morning to address what I believe should be the core question underlying the debate over a Medicare drug benefit; namely, what will happen to beneficiaries if Congress fails to act? I will show that recent trends in coverage put future beneficiaries at risk of having significantly reduced options for meaningful prescription benefits if legislative action is not taken soon.

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