Evaluating Medicare Part D: A Statement by Karen Davis
<p>Yesterday's deadline for seniors to sign up for the new Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit is the latest milestone in an ongoing national discussion about the value of this new benefit, the most important expansion of Medicare since the program was created in 1965.<br><br>In a <a href="/cnlib/pub/enews_clickthrough.htm?enews_item_id=22175&return_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecmwf%2Eorg%2FGeneral%2FGeneral%5Fshow%2Ehtm%3Fdoc%5Fid%3D373203%26%23doc373203">new statement,</a> Commonwealth Fund President Karen Davis notes that in the debate over beneficiary sign-up rates and reported confusion about the enrollment process, a number of critical questions about the benefit's long-term value have been overlooked. Some of the issues that need to be resolved are:<br><br><ul><li>Is Part D using public dollars efficiently?</li><li>Does the benefit adequately meet the needs of Medicare beneficiaries?</li><li>Are all low-income beneficiaries adequately protected?</li></ul><br><br>Davis observes that now is the time to make sure that everyone eligible has access to prescription drug benefits--and ensure that the benefit provides efficient, high-quality coverage. Also available is a PowerPoint presentation about improving Part D by Stuart Guterman, director of the Fund's Program on Medicare's Future.<br><br>To review Fund publications on Medicare, visit our <a href="/cnlib/pub/enews_clickthrough.htm?enews_item_id=22178&return_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecmwf%2Eorg%2FGeneral%2FGeneral%5Fshow%2Ehtm%3Fdoc%5Fid%3D319700%26%23doc319700">Medicare Resources</a> page.</p>
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/newsletters/ealerts/2006/may/evaluating-medicare-part-d--a-statement-by-karen-davis