Wider Medicare Drug Coverage Sought ; Pharmaceutical Firms Team Up with Patient Advocates

Summary

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BALTIMORE - The tension between improving drug access and controlling costs dominated a public meeting held Friday to discuss proposed guidelines for Medicare drug coverage.

Large corporations and patient advocacy groups were among the stakeholders hoping to adjust the guidelines private organizations may use in crafting their drug benefits under Medicare. The federal health insurance program for seniors and some disabled people will begin to cover prescription drugs in 2006 under a law passed last year.

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Extract

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Wider Medicare Drug Coverage Sought ; Pharmaceutical Firms Team Up with Patient Advocates

Much of the focus centered on whether the guidelines should include more or less than the 146 categories and classes delineated in the proposal.

Although they do...

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