Richard G. Stefanacci, DO, MGH, MBA, AGSF, CMD
Founding Executive Director
Health Policy Institute
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
Email: r.stefan@usip.edu

A major provision of the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) is the creation of a new prescription drug benefit under Medicare Part D. This will affect all stakeholders involved in healthcare, not solely those limited to seniors. As a result these groups are attempting to shape the implementation as well as develop strategies for dealing with the MMA fallout.

WHAT IT ENCOMPASSES

Work in this area encompasses providing all key stakeholders a resource for addressing prescription access issues for seniors. This involves understanding of the relevant policy, conducting strategic research activities, and providing assistance to public policy leaders responsible for implementing the program.

WHAT IS ITS IMPORTANCE TO HEALTH POLICY

The United States population of seniors is growing from 42 million to 80 million over the next two decades. This growth will cause an increased need for pharmaceutical products. As a result how pharmaceuticals are accessed and paid for will have a major effect on not only the health and wellness of seniors but on how valuable resources are allocated.

BRIEF HISTORY OF RESEARCH ON THIS SPECIAL TOPIC

Health policy experts have argued for several years that Medicare needed to be modernized to cover outpatient prescription drugs in order to provide beneficiaries with current standards of health care, address health problems early, and prevent hospitalizations. National foundations, such as the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Commonwealth Fund, funded research conducted by policy organizations and academic health policy centers to document the need for the benefit and options for implementation. Many advocacy groups also funded research to substantiate their perspective and recommendations. The Medicare prescription drug benefit was enacted as part of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003 and is referred to as Medicare Part D.

After spending twelve months at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as a health policy scholar where he focused his attention on formulary access issues under Medicare Part D, Dr. Stefanacci continues to focus on this topic.

CURRENT AREAS OF RESEARCH INTEREST

• The effect of Medication Therapy Management Services improving outcomes
• The change in utilization of medication under Medicare Part D
• Change in access to medications for seniors under Medicare Part D
  

FACULTY MEMBER’S PUBLICATIONS RELATED TO THIS TOPIC

White Papers:

The Cost of Being Excluded: Impact of excluded medications under Medicare Part D on the dually eligible nursing home residents (ASCP) 2/16/05.

http://www.ascp.com/medicarerx/docs/ASCPPaperExcludedMeds.pdf

http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=28253

http://www.forbes.com/prnewswire/feeds/prnewswire/2005/02/17/...

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=20209#

Text Books:

Stefanacci RG. (2005) Chapter: The Regulator’s Perspective. Determining the Value of Healthcare Interventions: A U.S. Public Health Imperative; Lofland J, Pizzi L, Elwood C. (in press)

Peer Reviewed Publications:

Stefanacci RG (2005) The Cost of Being Excluded: Impact of excluded medications under Medicare Part D on the dually eligible nursing home residentsJAMDA (under review)

Stefanacci RG, Cafiero, A (2005) Antidementia Agents: Remembering What’s Important in this Class! P&T; Biotechnology; Managed Care (in press)

Stefanacci RG (2005) Creating the Perfect Medicare Part D Formulary P&T; Biotechnology; Managed Care (in press)

Stefanacci RG (2005) Generic Drugs…Just What MMA OrderedP&T Journal, (in press)

Beers MH, Stefanacci RG (2005) The Class Effect: Is It Relevant to Geriatric?, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (in press)

Stefanacci RG (2005) The FDA’s Advisory Board on Drug Safety: The Right Medicine?P&T Journal, 30(3):176-177.

Glass H, Stefanacci R (2005) Follow the Phase III leaderScript 4:1-3. www.scriptmag.com

Stefanacci, R.G. (2004 ) Medicare Reform’s Impact on LTC. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association 5(6):418-421. http://download.journals.elsevierhealth.com/pdfs/journals/1525-8610/PIIS1525861004700146.pdf

Stefanacci, R.G. (2004) New Medicare Legislation. Clinical Geriatrics; 12(5):14-15. www.mmhc.com

Stefanacci, R.G. (2004 ) The Implications of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 for P&T Committees. P&T Journal;29(2):95-97.

Articles (non-peer reviewed journals):

Stefanacci RG (2005) The New Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit……..What You Need to Know Now Caring Today, (in press)

Stefanacci RG (2005) Storm Warning: MMA’s Impact on ALFs, Assisted Living Consult, 1(1):19-21.

Stefanacci RG (2004) Assuring Individualized Pharmacotherapy for the Elderly, Jefferson University Health Policy Newsletter, September 2004; 10. (Reprinted in Senior Care Managed)

Stefanacci RG (2004) The Impact of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, Jefferson University Health Policy Newsletter, 17(1): 7.http://www.jefferson.edu/dhp/HPN/HPN-03-04.pdf

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