Behind the political madness surrounding Medicare are real policy issues: Has the new drug benefit added unmanageably high costs to Medicare? Can competitive reforms eventually slow the growth of Medicare spending? Will the influx of the baby boomers into Medicare lead to a dire financial crisis for this important program?
The Medicare trustees released their new report on the financial condition of Medicare on March 23. As he has done for the last several years, Richard Foster, Medicare's chief actuary, will present the findings of the new trustees report at this health policy discussion. A panel of current and former government officials with extensive knowledge of the Medicare program will comment on the reports.
