Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries Are Most in Need of Prescription Drug Coverage

Publication Date: June 2003

Publisher: Families USA

Author(s):

Research Area: Health

Type: Other

Abstract:

There are 40 million seniors and people with disabilities who depend on Medicare and who could benefit if prescription drug coverage were added to the program. Such assistance is particularly critical for those with lower incomes--the over 15 million beneficiaries with incomes of 175 percent of poverty or less. For these individuals--who have incomes below $15,715 for an individual or $21,210 for a couple--prescription drugs are often unaffordable.