Introduction to State Health Policy:
A Seminar for New State Legislators

Session 12:
Prescription Drugs

Presenter:	Jonathan Blum, M.P.P. Director Medicaid Practice The Health Strategies Consultancy LLC Washington, DC
Content:	A major issue in both Congress and State legislatures has been the high cost of medications, especially for seniors without prescription drug coverage. High drug costs also impact Medicaid and other State programs that offer a prescription drug benefit. This session explores recent trends in prescription drug costs and the factors responsible for rising costs, the impact of rising drug costs on the health care delivery system, the impact of recent Federal legislation on State prescription drug programs, and State strategies for addressing issues related to prescription drug coverage.
Session Archive:	Click to View Archive (REAL Player)
Session Transcript:	Text Transcript
Presentation Slides:	PowerPoint fomat (2.1 mb) text format

Recommended reading:

• The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured. “The New Medicare Prescription Drug Law: Issues for Dual Eligibles with Disabilities and Serious Conditions.” Issue paper. Washington: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, June 2004. Available from:
  • http://www.kff.org/medicaid/loader.cfm?
    url=/commonspot/security/getfile.cfm&PageID=40714
• The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured. “Medicaid and the Prescription Drug Benefit: Cost Containment Strategies and State Experiences.” Policy brief. Washington: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, September 2002. Available from:
  • http://www.kff.org/medicaid/loader.cfm?
    url=/commonspot/security/getfile.cfm&PageID=14138