The first hearing focused on the larger concepts incorporated in both the Breaux-Frist proposal and the Administration's proposal for fundamental Medicare reform. The second hearing focused on how competition between public and private health plans would be structured under the Breaux-Frist and the Administration's proposals. This hearing will focus on the possible inclusion of a prescription drug benefit for Medicare. Both the Breaux-Frist premium support proposal and the Administration's competitive defined benefit proposal include a prescription drug benefit.
Key questions remain to be answered.
The first panel will consist of a series of witnesses from Congressional support agencies. Jennifer O'Sullivan, Specialist in Social Legislation at the Congressional Research Service, will discuss the current extent of drug coverage among Medicare beneficiaries. William J. Scanlon, Ph.D., Director, Health Financing and Public Health Issues at the General Accounting Office, will discuss how prescription drug benefits are managed by employers and insurers who currently provide coverage to workers and retirees over age 65. Edwin C. Hustead, Consulting Actuary to the Congressional Research Service, will discuss the various types of drug coverage and design considerations in developing a drug benefit for the Medicare population. The second panel will consist of stakeholders in the discussion over prescription drug coverage.