Committee on Ways and Means

MEDICARE RESOURCE KIT

H.R. 4954 – Medicare Modernization and Prescription Drug Act of 2002

Background Information

• Summary of Legislation
• How Legislation Achieves Speakers’ Principles
• Medicare Prescription Drug Bill Helps Stabilize and Enhance Employer-Sponsored Health Care Benefits for Retirees
• States Benefit Significantly from Medicare Prescription Drug Bill
• How the House Proposal Helps Rural America
• Medicare+ Choice Program Reforms
• Medicare+Choice Competition Program
• Medicare DME Competitive Bidding Saves Beneficiaries and Taxpayers Money
• Pharmacists’ Unique Role Recognized Under Medicare Prescription Drug Bill
• Comparison of Provisions Affecting Pharmacists in Other Bills
• Side-by-Side Comparison of House and Senate Medicare Prescription Drug Bills
• How Medicare Drug Plans Differ From HMO's

Technical Analysis

• Committee Report H. Rept. 107-539, Part1
• CBO Letter on Best Price Provision
• CBO Testimony of Dan L. Crippen, Director on Cost of Prescription Drugs
• CBO Cost Estimate on H.R. 4954
• Detailed CBO Scoring of H.R. 4954, as reported by the Committee on Ways and Means
• CMS Letter on Estimated Proportion of Medicare Beneficiaries Who Would Purchase Drug Insurance Coverage Under Draft Medicare Reform Legislation
• OMB Statement of Administration Policy on H.R. 4954
• HHS Study: The Effects of Congressional Proposals on Prescription Drug Costs for Medicare Beneficiaries (06-19-2002)

Press Releases and Dear Colleagues

• Dear Colleague: Medicare Prescription Drug Bill is Better than the Bill You Voted for Last Congress
• Dear Colleague: All Senior Get Prescription Drug Coverage Under Johnson-Bilirakis
• Dear Colleague: Want to Lower Rx Drug Prices for Seniors?
• Press Release: Medicare Celebrates Thirty-Seven Years; House Delivers Real Rx Drug Coverage
• Press Release: House Legislation Fulfills Key Principles Outlined by Speaker
• Press Release: Senate’s Compromise Rx Drug Proposal Leaves Many Seniors without Drug Coverage, says Chairman Johnson
• Press Release: Thomas Urges Senate to Take Up Prescription Drug Legislation, Not Just Hold Press Conferences
• Press Release: Thomas Hails House Passage of Prescription Drug Legislation
• Press Release: Committee Passes Rx Drug Entitlement and Steps to Strengthen Medicare and Long Term Care
• Press Release: Medicare Rx Drug Bill Slated for Committee Action
• Press Release: House Democrats Produce Political Document on Rx Drugs, says Thomas
• Press Release: Rx Drug Benefit Should be a Permanent Entitlement, says Thomas
• Press Release: Medicare Proposal Supported by Hospital Groups
• Press Release: Scully Supports Competitive Bidding in Medicare System

Letters of Support

• List of Supporters of the House Medicare Legislation
• Letters of Support