Getting the Best Price: Lessons Learned from the Medicare Discount Card Program


 

Publication Date: September 2005

Publisher: Families USA

Author(s): Dee Mahan

Research Area: Health

Type: Report

Abstract:

Families USA examined how well the Medicare discount card program did in negotiating lower drug prices for those in Medicare. We found that, for the 50 drugs most frequently prescribed to seniors, the lowest Medicare discount card price was almost always much higher than the lowest price negotiated by one large government purchaser, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).