Kari L. Karsjens, JD, Resident and Fellow Services, American Medical Association, 515 N. State Street, 14th floor, Chicago, IL 60610, 3124644743, kari_karsjens@sbcglobal.net

In November 2003, the United States Congress passed groundbreaking legislation that will fundamentally transform the Medicare system. This unprecedented legislation includes a comprehensive Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Plan, which will profoundly impact physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who provide care to older patients.

This session will be part two of a combined focus on the impact of pharmaceuticals on the elderly’s environment and health. The first focus included clinical management of drug-use in the elderly for the practicing physician and/or health professional. This session will include a brief overview and discussion of the impact of the new prescription drug legislation on the elderly patient. Discussion will focus upon policy and analytical overview of the implications, beneficial health outcomes, and projected financial considerations involved in prescription drug-management in elder populations. The latter part of the session will investigate ways of informing the elderly of the nuances of the new Medicare Drug Benefit Plan, and will provide a lay-friendly roadmap to available educational resources on the subject.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Provide information on the basics of Medicare drug reimbursement policies and guidelines and their potential impact on access to pharmaceuticals by the elderly
• 2. Identify and analyze ways of developing educational resources on the new Medicare Drug Prescription Law and its impact on the elderly patient population.

Keywords: Aging, Pharmacies

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.