Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit: A Primer (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Revised Aug. 20, 2008 |
| Report Number |
RL34280 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Jennifer O'Sullivan, Domestic Social Policy Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
-
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Summary:
The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003(MMA, P.L.108-173) established a new voluntary prescription drug benefit under anew Medicare Part D, effective January 1, 2006. Prescription drug coverage isprovided through private prescription drug plans (PDPs) or Medicare Advantageprescription drug (MA-PD) plans. Beneficiaries must enroll in one of these privateplans in order to obtain their drug benefits. The program relies on these private plansto provide coverage and to bear some of the financial risk for drug costs; federalsubsidies covering the bulk of the risk are provided to encourage participation.
