The Kaiser Family Foundation held a May 18 forum to discuss the progress in providing low-income subsidies under the new drug benefit to seniors and younger Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities, and the experiences that beneficiaries who are enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid (known as "dual enrollees") have had as their drug coverage has shifted from Medicaid to Medicare.
Foundation Executive Vice President Diane Rowland moderated the forum, which also included Michael McMullan, senior advisor to the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; Beatrice Disman, regional commissioner of the Social Security Administration's New York Region; John Rother, director of Policy and Strategy of AARP; Vernon Smith, principal of Health Management Associates; and Marilyn Moon, vice president and director of the Health Program of the American Institutes for Research.
In addition, the Foundation released a series of new and updated materials related to the Medicare drug benefit and the experiences of dual-eligible and other low-income beneficiaries.
Observations on the Initial Implementation Of The Medicare Prescription Drug Program This report assesses the perspectives of a focus group state Medicaid directors on continuing issues related to the interaction between Medicaid and the Medicare prescription drug benefit.
Toward Making Medicare Work for Low-Income Beneficiaries This report examines how the low-income provisions of the Medicare drug benefit interact with state-level assistance provided through the Medicare Savings Program.
The report surveys all 50 state programs and assesses the implications of their varying eligibility requirements.
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