Medicare prescription drug benefit progress report: findings from a 2006 national survey of seniors.
A national survey in 2006 found that Part D secured drug coverage for most seniors who were without it in 2005, prior to the Medicare drug benefit. Seniors without drug coverage in 2006 generally fell into two groups: those in relatively good health and those potentially difficult to reach. Compared with seniors covered through employer plans or the Department of Veterans Affairs, Part D enrollees had higher out-of-pocket spending and greater cost-related nonadherence. Low-income subsidies offered protection against high out-of-pocket spending; without them, one-third of Part D enrollees at or below 150 percent of poverty paid more than $100 a month for their medications.
Neuman
Patricia
P
Medicare Policy Project, Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), Washington, DC, USA. tneuman@kff.org
Strollo
Michelle Kitchman
MK
Guterman
Stuart
S
Rogers
William H
WH
Li
Angela
A
Rodday
Angie Mae C
AM
Safran
Dana Gelb
DG
D000368:Aged; D003625:Data Collection; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000191:economics*; D005382:Financing, Personal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006264:Health Benefit Plans, Employee / Q000191:economics; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D007356:Insurance, Pharmaceutical Services / Q000191:economics*; D054524:Medicare Part D / Q000191:economics*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000191:economics