Events Detail

Medicare Part D Drug Benefit:

Five Years Later—Is It Working?

Thursday, September 15

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Click here to view the transcript of this event

   Sec. Michael Leavitt

Five years ago, in 2006, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) implemented the Medicare Part D program, which had become law in 2003. The 2006 implementation opened a heated debate, both on the merits of the original legislation as well as its implementation. There were wildly divergent projections on the program's overall cost and potential savings to seniors.

In response, the Bush White House and then-HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt engineered a major effort designed at countering numerous concerns, most importantly, would beneficiaries enroll? How would beneficiaries manage the process of assessing which plan best served their needs?

Five years into Part D's implementation, we have some answers to these questions. Today, as the U.S. government is in the midst of implementing a new, even more controversial health care law—and the nation faces growing fiscal constraints—the Part D program merits re-examination. To address the lessons from Part D for the future of health care, Hudson Institute hosted a conference on Thursday, September 15.

A keynote address was given by Michael Leavitt, former Governor of Utah, former Secretary of HHS, and current Chairman of Leavitt Partners. Panelists included Doug Badger, Mary Grealy, James Capretta; and Jack Hoadley. Hanns Kuttner, Hudson Institute Visiting Fellow moderated and Tevi Troy, Hudson Institute Senior Fellow and former Deputy Secretary of HHS introduced Secretary Leavitt and the event.

     Mary Grealy, James Capretta, Doug Badger, Michael Leavitt, Tevi Troy, Hanns Kuttner, Jack Hoadley