Unit 8 Assignment: Understanding Medicare Part D
Tierra J. Neal
Kaplan University
Professor Eboni Green
Health Policy
May 2, 2016
Unit 8 Assignment: Understanding Medicare Part D In this paper I will provide information on the influences that helped stakeholders decide on the final outcome of Medicare Part D legislation. I will also list the different strategies and tools that were utilized to be most effective during the decision making of passing the legislation. Lastly, I will discuss if Medicare Part D being passed corresponds with my understanding of the policy and politics. Medicare Part D is a prescription drug benefit program that was designed to subsidize the cots of prescription drugs and prescription drug insurance premiums for Medicare beneficiaries. Medicare Part D offers prescription drug coverage to everyone with Medicare coverage. Medicare Part D was passed in 2003 in a political climate that used it as a tool to ensure the re-election of a President facing huge deficit (Medicare Part D Policy: The Cost to the Republican Party. (2015).
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The Bush Administration has acknowledged that there has been problems with implementation of the Medicare drug benefit but also contend that the benefit has helped most beneficiaries.
On February 12, 2006, President Bush stated that competition between Medicare prescription drug plans has reduced costs for beneficiaries and taxpayers and that, on average, Medicare beneficiaries will pay about half of the amount that they paid for medications before the drug benefit was implemented. (American Health Line, Monday, February 13, 2006,