Medicare Part D ups patient compliance, reduces hospital costs

Jul 28 2011

The findings, which were published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association, suggested that for seniors, access to affordable prescription drugs would reduce their need for emergency and short-term nursing care. 

Bloomberg: Medicare Drug Benefit Trims Spending On Hospitals, Study Finds
Offering prescription drug coverage to the federal Medicare program's elderly beneficiaries reduced spending on hospitals and nursing homes, a study found. The effort increased access to medicines and improved patients' adherence to drug regimens, according to the study published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The results support arguments of advocates of the so-called Part D benefit Congress created in 2003. They said enrolling Medicare beneficiaries with inadequate coverage in subsidized drug plans from insurers such as UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH) and Humana Inc. (HUM) would reduce acute-care spending (Wayne, 7/26). 

PBS Newshour: Drugs Help Keep Seniors From Emergency Care, Study Finds
Seniors with access to affordable prescription drugs require less spending on emergency and short-term nursing care, according to a study of Medicare Part D released Tuesday. Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the report shows that the federal program -- which subsidizes prescription drugs for seniors -- "significantly" reduces non-drug medical costs for those who had limited coverage before the program began in 2006 (Kane, 7/26).