Richard Foster, Medicare’s chief actuary, will present the major findings of the Medicare trustees’ report, to be released in early May. Will the addition of the new drug benefit, which began in January, have a significant effect on the long-term financial condition of Medicare, or is there reason for optimism? Will other initiatives, including pay-for-performance and improved methods of managing care for the sickest patients, ease the cost pressures facing Medicare? Is it possible to assess the impact of these program changes only a few months after their implementation?

These and other questions will be discussed by a panel of experts, including Medicare’s two public trustees and the former director of the Congressional Budget Office. Following their discussion, Mark McClellan, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, will explain the latest developments in the Medicare program.