Launched in 2006, Medicare added a prescription drug benefit that relies entirely on private plans, while, for other benefits, beneficiaries have a choice between private health plans and traditional fee-for-service Medicare. As policymakers consider changes to Medicare that would give an even greater role to private health plans in caring for Medicare’s nearly 50 million seniors and people with disabilities, the Kaiser Family Foundation hosted a policy workshop to examine how the Part D experience can inform broader Medicare reforms.

The June 6, 2012 workshop examined the lessons from Part D, focusing on the roles of competition and changes in the marketplace in controlling costs for beneficiaries and taxpayers, how the benefit’s design affected beneficiaries, including those eligible for low-income subsidies, and what the experience suggests for future reforms.

The workshop featured a panel of experts including:

James C. Capretta, fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center
Juliette Cubanski, associate director of the Foundation’s Program on Medicare Policy
Jack Hoadley, research professor at Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute
Karen Ignagni, president and CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans
Marilyn Moon, senior vice president and health program director at the American Institutes for Research

Foundation Senior Vice President Tricia Neuman moderated the discussion with the panel and audience.

Full Video

Transcript (.pdf)

Presentation Slides (.pdf)

Agenda (.pdf)

Participant Biographies (.pdf)

Related Brief:

Medicare Part D Spending Trends: Understanding Key Drivers and the Role of Competition