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Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage

Rx Watchdog Report: Trends in Manufacturer Prices of Brand Name Prescription Drugs Used by Medicare Beneficiaries—2002-2007  / Research Report
March 2008— Changes in prices charged by manufacturers to wholesalers and other direct purchasers for the brand name drugs most widely used by Medicare beneficiaries are examined in this series of AARP Public Policy Institute reports.

Prescription Drugs and Medicare Part D: A Report on Access, Satisfaction, and Cost  / Research Report
November 2007— People aged 50 and older are generally satisfied with their access to brand name and generic prescription drugs and are willing to talk to their physicians and other health professionals about their prescription drug options, according to this October 2007 AARP telephone survey. Individuals aged 65 and older who have Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage report high levels of satisfaction with the plan and their premiums, with many stating that prescription drugs are more affordable now than they were prior to their enrollment. (37 pages)

Doors to Extra Help: Boosting Enrollment in the Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy  / Research Report
September 2007— The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 established the Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) program to reduce the financial burden on low-income Medicare beneficiaries paying out-of-pocket costs for prescription drug coverage under Medicare Part D. This AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper, by Debra J. Lipson, Allison Barrett, Angela Merrill, and Noelle Denny-Brown of Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., examines factors that influence the ease or difficulty of applying for LIS and Medicare Savings Programs which are designed to help low-income Medicare beneficiaries afford Medicare premiums and potentially other cost sharing obligations. (45 pages) (Publication ID: 2007-15)

Medicare Price Negotiation of Prescription Drugs - A National Poll: February 12, 2007  / Research Report
February 2007— When this late January 2007 AARP national poll asked 1,000 age 18+ Americans if Medicare should be allowed to negotiate prescription drug prices with pharmaceutical companies, 87 percent said yes, and 61 percent think Congress should make the issue a top priority. (13 pages)

Experiences with Medicare Part D Among Enrollees and Non-Enrollees  / Research Report
November 2006— While their awareness of and satisfaction with the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan are relatively high, the 3,602 age 65+ enrollees and non-enrollees in this September-October 2006 AARP mail survey rated their understanding of the plan somewhat lower and offered suggestions for changing the program. (52 pages)

AARP Election Watch 2006: Pulse of a Generation  / Research Report
November 2006— Of 1,500 age 42+ likely voters surveyed between October 23rd and 29th, 2006 by AARP, 83 percent are seriously considering the rising budget deficit in their voting decisions, and 76 percent are likely to vote for candidates supporting increased domestic spending while 47 percent favor and 40 percent oppose creating a national sales tax to fund healthcare for children and the uninsured.

Methodological Issues in Estimating Prescription Drug Coverage Using The Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey  / Research Report
October 2006— Various methods used for estimating the prescription drug coverage of Medicare beneficiaries are examined in this AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper by Becky Briesacher and colleagues who conclude that the greater consistency and transparency of a standardized approach are needed to eliminate present – and prevent future – discrepancies. (30 pages) (Publication ID: 2006-21)

Common Ground for America’s Future: The Opinions of AARP Members in Tennessee About National Election Issues in 2006  / Research Report
July 2006— Assuring Social Security’s future, allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs, financing individuals’ long-term care, and making health insurance coverage available are among the issues examined in this report of a June 2006 telephone survey of AARP members in Tennessee. (42 pages)

Common Ground on the Future: National and Iowa Member Opinion About 2006 Election Issues  / Research Report
July 2006— National and State of Iowa AARP member opinions on major issues for the November 2006 elections are explored in this report of a recent national telephone survey of AARP members around the nation, across Iowa, and in Iowa’s Congressional District #1. AARP MEMBER OPINION RESEARCH. (19 pages)

An Assessment of Beneficiary Knowledge of Medicare Coverage Options and the Prescription Drug Benefit  / Research Report
May 2006— This AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper by Judith Hibbard, Jessica Greene and Martin Tusler of the University of Oregon assesses Medicare beneficiaries’ knowledge of Medicare Part D and the differences between the fee-for-service Medicare program and Medicare Advantage plans; and identifies which factors contribute to differences in knowledge levels and attitudes about information seeking. (56 pages) (Publication ID: 2006-12)

Enrollees' Perceptions of Medicare Part D: Three Months and Counting  / Research Report
April 2006— Why enrollees in the Medicare Part D prescription drug plan signed up, whether they have used the benefit yet and, if they have, how much they estimate they saved by doing so are examined in this Spring 2006 AARP telephone survey of a nationally representative sample of 1,514 age 65+ persons. (9 pages)

AARP Bulletin Analysis Finds New Medicare Drug Plans Often Cheaper than Importing from Canada  / News Release
December 2005— According to the January issue of the monthly AARP Bulletin, Medicare drug plans that cover all of a beneficiary's drugs can cost less than buying the same drugs from Canada.

Pharmacists Support Generic Drug Substitution, But Need More Information to Advise Customers on The New Medicare Drug Benefit  / News Release
June 2005— Pharmacists and their customers could benefit from having more information to help them understand and compare the costs of prescription drugs, according to a new AARP study that looks at attitudes and practices regarding the use of generic drugs.

Filling the Rx: An Analysis of the Perceptions and Attitudes of Medicare Rx Discount Card Holders  / Research Report
December 2004— This second in a series of AARP surveys about the Medicare Rx discount card, conducted during October 2004 reveals that most individuals who secured a card, seem to have saved money with it, did not regard the process as confusing, and do not want to switch cards when given the opportunity. (17 pages)

Medicare Drug Discount Card Program: How Much Does Card Choice Affect Price Paid?  / Research Report
November 2004— How prices for 227 individual drugs and several drug combinations vary among 33 national Medicare-approved discount cards, how prices vary among pharmacies under each card, how retail pharmacy prices compare to mail order prices, and whether some cards consistently offer lower prices than other cards are examined in this AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper by Keith Lind. (46 pages) (Publication ID: 2004-16)

The Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit: Potential Impact on Beneficiaries  / Research Report
November 2004— Under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, Medicare will offer prescription drug coverage to beneficiaries who choose to enroll in the Part D benefit, beginning in 2006. The potential impact of this benefit overall--and with respect to specific categories of beneficiaries--is examined in this AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper by Jack Rodgers and John Stell of Health Policy Economics at PricewaterhouseCoopers. (40 pages) (Publication ID: 2004-13)

State of the Union Statement  / News Release
January 2004— AARP President-Elect Marie Smith responds to the President's annual address to Congress.

Why AARP Said “Yes” to Medicare Prescription Drug Bill  / News Release
December 2003— AARP supported this legislation because it will provide important prescription drug coverage and financial relief for millions of current and future Medicare beneficiaries.

AARP CEO Bill Novelli Calls the Prescription Drug Bill an Historic Victory  / News Release
November 2003— We should all take special pride in the fact that this bill helps those who need it the most.

AARP Urges the Senate to Pass Prescription Drug Bill Now  / News Release
November 2003— AARP urges the Senate to seize this historic opportunity and vote to pass the prescription drug bill.

AARP Statement on House Passage of Medicare Prescription Drug Bill  / News Release
November 2003— This is an important step toward fulfilling a longstanding promise to older and disabled Americans and their families.

Additional Supporters of the Medicare Bill  / News Release
November 2003— Many organizations that also support this Medicare bill. Read excerpts from official statements.

Highlights from Nationwide Opinion Pages  / News Release
November 2003— Exerpts about the Medicare bill from opinion pages across the country.

Letter from AARP CEO Bill Novelli to Senator Daschle and Representative Pelosi  / News Release
November 2003— AARP believes that the Medicare prescription drug bill represents an important step towards a long overdue commitment to strengthen and expand health security for our citizens.

Why AARP Says "Yes" to the Medicare Prescription Drug Bill  / News Release
November 2003— After careful deliberation, AARP has decided to endorse this bill and to work vigorously for its bipartisan passage. There are many reasons for this support.

AARP Endorses Medicare Prescription Drug Bill  / News Release
November 2003— Statement by AARP CEO Bill Novelli concerning the Medicare prescription drug bill.

Letter by AARP CEO Bill Novelli to Congress Concerning Prescription Drug Benefit in Medicare  / News Release
July 2003— Letter by AARP CEO Bill Novelli to Congress Concerning Prescription Drug Benefit in Medicare.

Statement by AARP CEO Bill Novelli on the Passage of Medicare Prescription Drug Bills in Congress  / News Release
June 2003— Statement by AARP CEO Bill Novelli on the Passage of Medicare Prescription Drug Bills in Congress.

AARP Sends Letters to Senators Regarding Prescription Drug Benefit in Medicare  / News Release
June 2003— AARP Sends Letters to Senators Regarding Prescription Drug Benefit in Medicare.

Statement by AARP CEO Bill Novelli on Senate Markup for Medicare Prescription Drug Legislation  / News Release
June 2003— Statement by AARP CEO Bill Novelli on Senate Markup for Medicare Prescription Drug Legislation.

Statement by AARP CEO Bill Novelli on the Need for Prescription-Drug Coverage in Medicare  / News Release
June 2003— Statement by AARP CEO Bill Novelli on the Need for Prescription-Drug Coverage in Medicare.

AARP Declares That "There Is No Recess from High Prescription Drug Costs"  / News Release
May 2003— AARP declares that "there is no recess from high prescription drug costs".

Medicare Beneficiaries and Prescription Drugs: Costs and Coverage  / Research Report
September 2002— Background data regarding prescription drug use and access among Medicare beneficiaries are provided in this AARP Public Policy Institute Data Digest by David Gross. Topics include rising drug costs, out-of-pocket prescription drug spending, prescription drug coverage, lack of coverage's effect on medication use, and limitations of state efforts to provide assistance with prescription drug costs. (3 pages) (Publication ID: DD77)

Medicare Prescription Drug Legislation in the U.S. Senate: Public Reaction Among Americans Aged 45 and Over  / Research Report
August 2002— Among age 45+ Americans, 80 percent say it is important that the U.S. Senate pass legislation adding a prescription benefit to the Medicare program, and 61 percent are angry that it was unable to pass such legislation before recessing for Congress' summer vacation. (5 pages)

Medicare Prescription Drug Benefits: A Survey of Registered Voters Age 50+ in Tennessee  / Research Report
July 2002— Almost nine in ten (86%) age 50+ registered voters in Tennessee consider it important that the Senate enact a permanent Medicare drug benefit that has an affordable premium, has some cost sharing, has no gap in coverage, is voluntary, and is available to everyone eligible for Medicare. (8 pages)

Medicare Prescription Drug Benefits: A Survey of Registered Voters Age 50+ in South Dakota  / Research Report
July 2002— Over eight in ten (86%) age 50+ registered voters in South Dakota consider it important that the Senate enact a permanent Medicare drug benefit that has an affordable premium, has some cost sharing, has no gap in coverage, is voluntary, and is available to everyone eligible for Medicare. (8 pages)

Medicare Prescription Drug Benefits: A Survey of Registered Voters Age 50+ in New Hampshire  / Research Report
July 2002— Over eight in ten (83%) age 50+ registered voters in New Hampshire consider it important that the Senate enact a permanent Medicare drug benefit that has an affordable premium, has some cost sharing, has no gap in coverage, is voluntary, and is available to everyone eligible for Medicare. (8 pages)

Medicare Prescription Drug Benefits: A Survey of Registered Voters Age 50+ in Iowa  / Research Report
July 2002— Eight in ten (80%) age 50+ registered voters in Iowa consider it important that the Senate enact a permanent Medicare drug benefit that has an affordable premium, has some cost sharing, has no gap in coverage, is voluntary, and is available to everyone eligible for Medicare. (8 pages)

Medicare Prescription Drug Benefits: Results of a National Survey  / Research Report
July 2002— Almost eight in ten (79%) American adults age 18 and over consider it important that the Senate enact a permanent voluntary Medicare drug benefit that has an affordable premium, some cost sharing and no gap in coverage, and is available to everyone eligible for Medicare. (4 pages)

Medicare Prescription Drug Benefits: A Survey of Registered Voters Age 50+ in Arkansas  / Research Report
July 2002— Over eight in ten (85%) age 50+ registered voters in Arkansas consider it important that the Senate enact a permanent Medicare drug benefit that has an affordable premium, has some cost sharing, has no gap in coverage, is voluntary, and is available to everyone eligible for Medicare. (8 pages)

Perceptions of a Medicare Rx Plan Among the Public Aged 45+  / Research Report
March 2002— How important to middle-aged and older Americans is adding prescription drug coverage to Medicare? And how much would they be willing to pay to participate? (17 pages)

Prescription Drug Benefits: Cost Management Issues For Medicare  / Research Report
August 2000— Issues decision-makers would face in managing the cost and utilization of a prescription drug benefit under Medicare are analyzed in this AARP Public Policy Issue Paper. (33 pages) (Publication ID: 2000-09)

Medicare Beneficiaries and Prescription Drug Coverage: Gaps and Barriers  / Research Report
June 1999— This AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Brief by David Gross and Normandy Brangan provides information on four aspects of prescription drug coverage among Medicare beneficiaries: (1) prescription drug coverage and supplemental insurance coverage; (2) characteristics of beneficiaries with and without drug coverage; (3) out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs; and (4) barriers faced by beneficiaries in obtaining drug coverage. (8 pages) (Publication ID: IB39)

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