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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Thomas Cleare, MBA, PhDCandidate, Randy Scheid, MPA, Michael Greene, MPA, and Jennifer Houlihan, MSP. Research and Planning Department, Health Care District of Palm Beach County, 324 Datura Street, Suite 401, West Palm Beach, FL 33401, 561-659-1270, tcleare@hcdpbc.org

The Health Care District of Palm Beach County is a legislatively mandated taxing district whose mission is to plan for the access and delivery of healthcare to all County residents. As one of its initiatives, the Health Care District currently operates a free health insurance program, known as Coordinated Care, for residents below 150% of the federal poverty level. One coverage option under the Coordinated Care program, Option 3, provides prescription drug coverage to Medicare beneficiaries and Ryan White HIV/Aids program participants. For over 10 years, the Health Care District has been providing prescription drug coverage for its low-income Medicare enrollees under this program. As the new Medicare Part D prescription drug program begins implementation, the public as well as policymakers are attempting to evaluate the potential impact the program will have, particularly on low-income enrollees. While studies have attempted to forecast the effect the cost-sharing arrangements of Part D will have on beneficiaries, a review of the impact on low-income populations using historical utilization patterns has been limited. The purpose of this case study will be to take an existing low-income Medicare population and use their historical utilization patterns to forecast the impact the Part D program will have on enrollees.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify prescription drug utilization rates of a low-income population and project annualized script expenses for low-income beneficiaries under Medicare Part D.
• Assess the financial impact of Medicare Part D on a low-income population.
• Evaluate local policy decisions effecting pharmaceutical benefit programs.

Keywords: Safety Net Providers, Community Health Planning

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered