Publications: Prescription Drugs
Making the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) Work: How States Can Help People with Medicare examines how this legislation improves the Medicare Savings Programs and the Part D Low-Income Subsidy, making Medicare more affordable for low-income beneficiaries. It includes tips for advocates. 12 pp. (February 2010)
Key Priorities to Help Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries discusses three actions Congress should take to improve the Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) and the Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) as part of health reform. 1 page. Print copies free. (May 2009)
Medicare: Helping Low-Income Seniors and People with Disabilities examines the high out-of-pocket costs Medicare beneficiaries face and how health reform should improve existing programs that help them afford these costs. 2 pp. Print copies free. (May 2009)
The Medicare Drug Benefit: How Much Will You Pay? These tables can help you estimate what you'll pay for prescription drugs under the Medicare drug benefit, including those enrolled in Medicaid. (updated April 2009)
Congress Delivers Help to People with Medicare: An Overview of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act discusses the positive changes the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) makes to Medicare. These changes include the improvement of Medicare health care benefits, the creation of policies that reduce racial and ethnic disparities among beneficiaries, and the reining in of inefficient private Medicare Advantage Plans. 8 pp. Print copies $2 (October 2008)
Buyer Beware: Higher Costs, More Confusion for the 2008 Part D Enrollment Season discusses several reasons why Part D enrollees, especially those with low incomes, should carefully examine their plans to see if the plans will continue to suit their needs. These reasons include rising premiums, the widening "doughnut hole," and other changes in coverage. 4 pp. Free (November 2007)
Medicare Part D Drug Prices Are Climbing Quickly explains that private insurance plans have not been able to negotiate lower drug prices in the Medicare Part D drug program, creating a growing burden for seniors and taxpayers. 4 pp. Free (April 2007)
Rhetoric versus Reality: Comparing Medicare Part D Prices to VA Prices rebuts the main arguments against comparing drug prices under Medicare Part D and those obtained by the Department of Veterans Affairs. 4 pp. Free (April 2007)
No Bargain: Medicare Drug Plans Deliver High Prices presents an analysis of drug prices that Part D plans charge for the 20 drugs most frequently prescribed to seniors for each of the plans offered by the five largest Part D insurers compared to the prices secured by the VA. We found that VA prices are substantially lower than the lowest prices charged by the largest Part D insurers for all of these 20 drugs. We also found that the seven largest U.S. pharmaceutical companies spent more than twice as much on marketing, advertising, and administration as they did on R&D. 23 pp. $15.00 (January 2007)
Stop Bad Ideas—Private Gain and Public Pain in Medicare discusses how the push to privatize Medicare has resulted in landmark profits for the drug and insurance industries at the expense of taxpayers and Medicare beneficiaries. 4 pp. Free (December 2006)
Picking a Part D Plan: Déjà Vu All Over Again? discusses why beneficiaries, advocates, and health care providers should be aware of changes in Part D plans that will affect coverage in 2007. It also urges all beneficiaries to examine premiums, drug costs, formularies, and drug restrictions to find the best Medicare drug plan. 4 pp. Free (November 2006)
Coverage through the "Doughnut Hole" Grows Scarcer in 2007 examines what will happen next year to stand-alone drug plans that provide meaningful doughnut hole coverage—plans that provide doughnut hole coverage of both the generic and non-generic drugs that most seniors need. 12 pp. Print copies $2 (November 2006)
Medicare Privatization: Windfall for the Special Interests examines how several decisions by Congress to promote privatized Medicare are costing taxpayers billions of dollars and bringing windfall profits to the insurance and drug industries. The report focuses on 1) overpayments to Medicare Advantage plans, 2) special funding for Medicare regional PPOs, and 3) prices obtained by Part D drug plans. 16 pp. Print copies $2 (October 2006)
Big Dollars, Little Sense: Rising Medicare Prescription Drug Prices asks two key questions: 1) What has happened to Part D prices for the most frequently prescribed drugs from November 2005 to April 2006?; and 2) How do Part D drug prices now compare to the prices secured by the VA? The answers are both clear and disappointing: 1) Virtually all of the Part D plans raised their prices for the majority of the top 20 drugs in this study. 2) For all of the top 20 drugs prescribed to seniors, VA prices in April were lower than the lowest prices charged by Part D plans. 25 pp. $15.00 (June 2006)
Medicare Drug Program Fails to Reach Low-Income Seniors documents the slow pace of enrollment in Medicare Part D and, particularly, the program's failure to reach those most in need—the low-income seniors and people with disabilities who are entitled to special subsidies. 11 pp. Print copies $2 (May 2006)
April Fools for Medicare Part D Beneficiaries? Transitional Benefits End April 1 On April 1, 2006, Medicare beneficiaries lose the protection of extended transition benefits. This memo explains what this means for beneficiaries and what they can do about it. (March 29, 2006)
President Bush's Fiscal Year 2007 Budget: Analysis of Key Health Care Provisions Includes discussion and commentary on Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Medicaid, and Medicare. 13 pp. Print copies $2 (February 22, 2006)
Expectations Shrinking for Medicare Part D Enrollment assesses the first two months of enrollment in the new drug benefit. The report shows that: 1) enrollment so far is lagging well behind last year's projections; 2) most of those counted as covered already had drug coverage; and 3) low-income beneficiaries are being left behind. 6 pp. Print copies $2 (February 2006)
Falling Short: Medicare Prescription Drug Plans Offer Meager Savings evaluates how well Medicare prescription drug plans (PDPs) did in giving seniors low drug prices. This report compares the base drug prices reported by Medicare drug plans with the prices negotiated through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). 19 pp. Free (December 2005)
Getting the Best Price: Lessons Learned from the Medicare Discount Card Program Families USA examined how well the Medicare discount card program did in negotiating lower drug prices for those in Medicare. We found that, for the 50 drugs most frequently prescribed to seniors, the lowest Medicare discount card price was almost always much higher than the lowest price negotiated by one large government purchaser, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). 27 pp. $15.00 (September 2005)
The Choice: Health Care for People or Drug Industry Profits This report examined drug industry profits and spending patterns to determine if Medicaid payments to drug companies could be reduced without harming either Medicaid enrollees' access to medications or the drug companies' ability to conduct necessary research and development. | Key Findings 36 pp. $15.00 (September 2005)
Gearing Up Series--The Holes in Part D: Gaps in the New Medicare Drug Benefit (Part 1 of 2)
This brief discusses the three major kinds of gaps associated with the Part D benefit: 1) the financial gap beneficiaries will face; 2) the drug coverage gap; and 3) the enrollment gap. 15 pp. Free (July 2005)
Gearing Up Series--Filling the Holes in Part D: The Essential Role of State Pharmacy Assistance Programs (Part 2 of 2)
This brief examines the key decisions states will have to make when determining how their Pharmacy Assistance Programs can provide wraparound coverage and explains the special role of these programs under the Medicare drug law. It also discusses how these programs can help with enrollment. (July 2005)
Trouble Brewing? New Medicare Drug Law Puts Low-Income People at Risk
The Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) was touted as a program that would help all Medicare enrollees, particularly the neediest, obtain prescription drug coverage. Now there is evidence that a flaw in the MMA will cause serious harm to many of the most vulnerable elderly and people with disabilities. 8 pp. Free (July 2005)
Big Pharma Behaving Badly: A Survey of Selected Class Action Lawsuits against Drug Companies, 4th Edition
This survey updates recent and pending class action lawsuits alleging antitrust and consumer fraud violations by pharmaceutical manufacturers. 29 pp. $5.00 (January 2005)
Sticker Shock: Rising Prescription Drug Prices for Seniors
This updated study examines price changes for the top 30 brand-name drugs prescribed for seniors. The survey found that the prices of these drugs have increased by nearly 22 percent over the past three years. 21 pp. $15.00 (June 2004)
Collusion and Other Anticompetitive Practices: A Survey of Class Action Lawsuits Against Drug Manufacturers is the third edition of this survey, which updates recent and pending class action lawsuits alleging antitrust and consumer fraud violations by pharmaceutical manufacturers. 33 pp. $5.00. (January 2004)
The new Medicare prescription drug legislation creates a temporary drug discount card program that is projected to start in June 2004 and end by January 1, 2006, when a new, permanent drug benefit would begin. The New Medicare Prescription Drug Discount Card: A Very Flawed Program discusses the flaws in the program and how they are likely to affect Medicare beneficiaries. (December 19, 2003)
FEHBP Rates Increase as Much as $4,572.12 a Year: Is This Really A Model for Medicare?
Is the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), a model used by the House Medicare prescription drug bill, a good model for the seniors and people with disabilities that Medicare serves? 4 pp. Free (September 30, 2003)
The House Medicare Drug Bill's Doughnut Hole: A Chasm for Low-Income Beneficiaries?discusses the large gap in drug coverage low-income Medicare beneficiaries would experience under the House Medicare drug bill. 2 pp. Free (September 26, 2003)
Prescription Drug Cost-Sharing and Low-Income People: Five Good Reasons to Keep It Minimal
Prescription drugs aren't the only health expenses Medicare beneficiaries must pay for out of pocket. Any final Medicare prescription drug bill should not raise cost-sharing amounts above the limits in the current Senate and House bills. 2 pp. Free (September 12, 2003)
More Red Tape for the Poor? Dual Eligibles in the Medicare Rx Bill
The potential problems that the Senate's Medicare prescription drug bill, which would not cover dual eligibles (low-income people who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid), could create for such beneficiaries and for Medicare and state Medicaid programs. 4 pp. Free (September 3, 2003)
What's in the House and Senate Medicare Prescription Drug Bills? provides a side-by-side comparison of the two bills, examining basic drug benefits, premiums, out-of-pocket spending, and gaps in coverage for Medicare beneficiaries. 4 pp. (July 17, 2003)
Out of Bounds: Rising Prescription Drug Prices for Seniors
The report examines the price increases for the top 50 prescription drugs sold to seniors that occurred from January 2002 to January 2003. On average, those prices rose almost three-and-one-half times the rate of inflation. 23 pp. $15.00 (July 2003)
Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries Are Most in Need of Prescription Drug Coverage
2 pp. Free (June 17, 2003)
The Bush Administration's Fiscal Year 2004 Budget: Analysis of Key Health Care Provisions
4 pp. Free. (February 7, 2003)
Prescription Drug Cost and Coverage: What Can States Do? An Action Kit for Advocates Designed to help advocates respond state budget cuts and the effects these cuts may have on Medicaid beneficiaries. Kit includes background information, discussion of options, state-based strategies, case studies, and other resources. $20.00 (January 2003)
Collusion and Other Anticompetitive Practices: A Survey of Class Action Lawsuits Against Drug Manufacturers
This updated report summarizes recent and pending class action lawsuits alleging antitrust and consumer fraud violations by pharmaceutical manufacturers. 33 pp. $5.00. (January 2003)
Profiting from Pain: Where Prescription Drug Dollars Go
The pharmaceutical industry continues to be the most profitable U.S. industry, with profit margins more than five times the median for Fortune 500 companies. As this report demonstrates, the major drug companies spend considerably more on marketing, advertising, and administration than they spend on R&D. 37 pp. $15.00. (July 2002)
Bitter Pill: The Rising Prices of Prescription Drugs for Older Americans
Prices for the top 50 drugs used by senior citizens continue to outstrip inflation. From 2001 to 2002, prices for these drugs grew by 7.8 percent: Name-brand drugs increased by 8.1 percent, while lower-priced generics grew by only 1.8 percent. 18 pp. $15.00. (June 2002)
Failing America's Seniors: Private Health Plans Provide Inadequate Rx Drug Coverage.
A Special Report. 8 pp. Free. (May 2002)
Collusion and Other Anticompetitive Practices: A Survey of Class Action Lawsuits Against Drug Manufacturers
This report summarizes recent and pending class action lawsuits alleging antitrust and consumer fraud violations by pharmaceutical manufacturers. 32 pp. $5.00. (April 2002)
Getting Access to Generic Drugs: A Timeline
A graphic illustration of how brand-name drug manufacturers can manipulate loopholes in current law to delay the entry of generic drugs into the market. 4 pp. $1.00. (April 2002)
Three Areas of Anticompetitive Practices by the Drug Industry: An Overview
This fact sheet highlights several anticompetitive practices employed by the drug industry. 1 page. Free. (April 2002)
The Drug Industry: Facts and Figures
A quick look at drug patents, competition, and other issues affecting consumers. 2 pp. Free. (April 2002)
Overview of the Hatch-Waxman Amendments: Legislative Background
The issue brief describes loopholes in the 1984 "Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act " (known as the Hatch-Waxman Amendments) that permit brand-name drug manufacturers to minimize competition by delaying the market entry of generic drugs. 5 pp. Free. (April 2002)
Every year, Fortune Magazine examines U.S. industries to determine how they compare to each other in profitability. Fortune 500: Drug Industry Most Profitable Again explains that the pharmaceutical industry has repeatedly trumped all other industries. 1 pp. (April 3, 2002)
Assessing the Bush Administration's Proposed Medicare Drug Discount Card Program.
A Special Report. 4 pp. Free. (March 2002)
President Bush's Medicare Drug Proposals introduces the President’s plans to create a prescription drug discount card program, encourage states to seek federal Medicaid waivers, and establish the Medicare Low-Income Drug Assistance Program. (February 13, 2002)
Prescription Drug Costs and Coverage: What Can States Do? An Action Kit for Advocates
Designed to help advocates sort through the various options available to expand drug coverage and/or reduce prices. Kit includes background information, discussion of options to expand coverage, state-based strategies, case studies, and other resources. $15.00. (December 2001)
Off the Charts: Pay, Profits and Spending in Drug Companies
The pharmaceutical industry continues to be the most profitable U.S. industry, with profit margins nearly four times the average of Fortune 500 companies. As this report demonstrates, the major drug companies spend considerably more on marketing, advertising, and administration than they spend on R&D. 29 pp. $15.00. (July 2001)
Healthy Pay for Health Plan Executives
The managed care industry claims that the cost of patients' rights legislation will make families lose health insurance coverage--a charge that is both misleading and self-serving. This report examines the compensation for the highest-paid executives of 10 for-profit, publicly traded companies that own health plans serving multiple states. A Special Report. 27 pp. $8.00. (June 2001)
Enough to Make You Sick: Prescription Drug Prices for the Elderly
For the millions of older Americans who do not have prescription drug coverage, and for millions of others who have very limited coverage, increases in drug prices have a profound impact. As this report demonstrates, these prices are increasing at rates that far exceed inflation. 17 pp. $15.00. (June 2001)
Cost Overdose: Growth in Drug Spending for the Elderly, 1992-2010
America's seniors face prescription drug costs that are projected to more than double in the next 10 years. This report tracks the rise in drug spending from 1992 through 2000 and projects increases through 2010. 24 pp. $15.00 (July 2000)
Still Rising: Drug Price Increases for Seniors 1999-2000
America's senior citizens are falling farther and farther behind in their struggles to pay for prescription drugs as the prices for those drugs increase faster than inflation. This update of Hard to Swallow looks at the rising costs of the 50 drugs most commonly prescribed for senior citizens. 13 pp. $5.00. (April 2000)
"Medicare Beneficiaries Need Drug Coverage Breaux-Frist Proposal Fails the Test,"
The Future of Medicare: #6. 2 pp. Free. Print only. (March 2000)
Hard To Swallow: Rising Drug Prices for America's Seniors
A look at the skyrocketing costs of the 50 drugs most used by older Americans. Every year for the last five years, the prices of these drugs have increased faster than the rate of inflation, with increases in 1998, on average, four times the rate of inflation. 16 pp. $15.00. (November 1999)
Worthless Promises: Drug Companies Keep Boosting Prices
A look at price increases in the 20 top selling brand name prescriptions used by all Americans, and in 20 top selling drugs used by older Americans from 1989 to 1994. Compares median profits of pharmaceutical manufacturers to those of Fortune 500 companies. 19 pp. $5.00. Print only. (March 1995)
Crossing to Mexico: Priced Out of American Health Care
A survey of Mexican doctors and American consumers about the reasons Americans go to Mexico for routine medical care. Includes price comparisons and physician visits. 20 pp. $5.00. Print only. (November 1992)
Prescription Costs: America's Other Drug Crisis
20 pp. $5.00. Print only. (September 1992)
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