Gail Shearer

The current Medicare program does not cover prescription drugs. In the following viewpoint, Gail Shearer provides ten reasons why Medicare should be reformed to provide such coverage. She claims that seniors who lack prescription drug coverage spend a significant percentage of their income on their prescriptions. According to Shearer, these seniors also pay higher prices for these drugs than seniors with private health insurance coverage. She contends that Medicare should establish a prescription drug benefit that limits out-of-pocket costs. Shearer is the director of health policy analysis for Consumers Union. Consumers Union, a nonprofit organization that provides information on consumer concerns.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to Shearer, what percentage of people aged sixty-five years and older spend more than 10 percent of their income on out-of-pocket health care costs?
2. Why is...