Are PDE data available for all 44 million Medicare beneficiaries?
No. The Medicare prescription drug benefit is a voluntary insurance program and PDE records are only available for Medicare beneficiaries who are enrolled in a Part D plan. In 2008, about 25 million Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Part D plans. We do not have PDE data for beneficiaries who receive their drug coverage from other sources such as employers or unions with the Medicare Retiree Drug Subsidy, Veterans Administration, TRICARE, or FEHBP.
