Background paper

The Medicare Drug Benefit: A Prescription for Confusion, Richard L. Kaplan

Produced by WILL-TV at the University of Illinois

Institute of Government and Public Affairs

Women and Gender in Global Perspectives

A Look at How to Cope with Increasing Drug Costs

Thursday, April 19, 2007, 7:00-8:00 pm

Americans spent nearly $189 billion on prescription drugs in 2004 and are expected to spend more than $440 billion per year by 2015. Illinoisans spent $6.5 billion on prescription medication in 2005, sixth most in the nation.

The costs are staggering. The effects are felt by all: young and old, rich or poor. The issue will be critical to public policy discussion for years to come.

WILL-TV's Electing Health Care: Prescription Drug Crisis, airing at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 19, examines the high cost of medication through the eyes of people who deal with it every day. WILL's John Paul will host the program, talking to members of the Illinois congressional delegation and to a panel of experts who will discuss options for coping with the rapidly increasing costs.

The four (4) program guests include:

• U.S. Congressman Mark Steven Kirk, Republican from the 10th District of Illinois
• U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, Democratic Assistant Majority Leader
• Richard Kaplan, College of Law, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Lorens Helmchen, Health Policy and Administration, University of Illinois at Chicago.

This hour long program originates from the studios of WILL-TV in Urbana, Illinois. WILL is located in Campbell Hall for Public Telecommunications at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Electing Health Care: Prescription Drug Crisis will be simulcast on WILL-AM 580 and will be repeated on WILL-AM at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Arpil 21.

• The Women and Gender in Global Perspectives Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• The Institute of Government and Public Affairs, University of Illinois
• Center on Democracy in a Multiracial Society
• The School of Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• The College of Law, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• The College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Epstein Program in Health Care Law and Policy

Updated 9.13.06