Higher Catastrophic Costs, Drug Price Trends Push Part D Rates Up $3 In 2009
Executive Summary
Medicare drug plans are continuing to refine their premium calculations to reflect actual program experience, including sometimes higher-than-expected costs, a snapshot of 2009 bid submissions suggests. For example, CMS says that higher spending for individuals who reach the catastrophic cost ceiling is one factor in the $3 increase in the Medicare benchmark premium for 2009