Prescription Drug Care

MPA

Program Implementation and Evaluation

First Essay

The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 received an odd

compliment from Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), “This is not a perfect bill, but America cannot wait for

perfect.” The assigned readings address not just aspects of the prescription drug act itself but the

pressures that mounted beginning at the state level (refer to Maine and Oregon) to do something about

the cost to seniors regarding drugs.

Taken together, these readings give you a good sense of the pressures that mount for some level of

government to do something regarding a growing public concern, the reasons the Federal government

(eventually) gets involved, the negotiations and compromises that went into this particular law

(becoming a policy), the costs associated with implementing a Federal drug care program, and the

demographics that are involved.

In your essay discuss the various reasons that led to this program and focus on Senator Schumer’s

quote: Comment on whether it is good policy or bad policy and why. In addition, based on the readings,

can you determine that there appear to be some reasonable or realistic ways to evaluate the

effectiveness of the prescription drug care program.

GUIDELINES FOR THIS ESSAY

1) Your essay should be a minimum of five pages (typed, double-spaced)

2) Do discuss the readings, don’t just mention them in passing