Table 2.
Effect of Part D on Drug and Medical Spending among Enrollees with No Previous Drug Coverage and Those with No Cap on Coverage.*
| Variable | No-Cap Group | No-Coverage Group |
|---|---|---|
| dollars | ||
| Pharmacy spending | ||
| 2 yr before Part D (January 2004) | 166 | 46 |
| At start of Part D (December 2005) | 175 | 56 |
| 2 yr after Part D (December 2007) | 184 | 107 |
| Change from January 2004–December 2005 | 10 | 10 |
| Change from December 2005–December 2007 | 10 | 51 |
| Difference in change between 2 years before Part D and 2 years after Part D | 0 | 41 |
| Medical spending | ||
| 2 yr before Part D (January 2004) | 380 | 380 |
| At the start of Part D (December 2005) | 500 | 500 |
| 2 yr after Part D (December 2007) | 619 | 586 |
| Change from January 2004–December 2005 | 119 | 119 |
| Change from December 2005–December 2007 | 119 | 86 |
| Difference in change between 2 years before Part D and 2 years after Part D | 0 | −33 |
*
Between December 2005 and December 2007, in the group that had no previous drug coverage before the implementation of Part D, total monthly drug spending increased by $41 (95% CI, $33 to $50), whereas monthly nondrug medical expenditures decreased by $33 (95% CI, $29 to $37), as compared with spending in the comparison group of enrollees with no cap on their drug coverage.