Variation in estimated Medicare prescription drug plan costs and affordability for beneficiaries living in different states.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Medicare Part D prescription drug plans (PDPs) implemented in January 2006 are designed to improve beneficiaries' access to pharmaceuticals and use market competition to yield affordable drug costs. Variations in estimated PDP costs for beneficiaries living in different states have not previously been characterized.

Objective

To describe variations in the estimated costs of PDPs (plan premium, copays, and coinsurance) within and across states.

Design

To estimate PDP costs based on 4 actual patient cases that exemplify common conditions and prescription drug combinations for Medicare beneficiaries, we used the online tool provided by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Measurements

Principal study outcomes included (a) variation across sta

SUBMITTER: Davis MM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1824717 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature