Is Medicare Part D working?

According to the pharmacy benefit managers’ trade association:

Medicare prescription drug plans (PDPs) achieved higher-than-expected savings of 29 percent during 2006 and are on track to save Medicare and its beneficiaries $469 billion over the 2006-2015 period if current performance is maintained, according to a new analysis from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) released today by the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA).  To build on the success of Part D, PCMA also outlined a four-point plan for reforms that could generate additional savings for working families, seniors, and private and public programs.

See press release from late last month, with link to PWC report.  See also earlier HealthBlawg post on potential benefits of losing the Congressional ban on Medicare’s negotiating with pharma.

Glad to hear it’s working for somebody.  Doughnut (hole), anyone?

— David Harlow