Tools for understanding Medicare reform

Seniors citizens can figure out how the House and Senate Medicare reform proposals would affect their prescription drug costs with the Medicare Drug Benefit Calculator created by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Kaiser estimates that the typical senior will have $3,160 in total drug expenses in 2006, the first year of the drug benefit, if the bills become law.

I reported on the Medicare bills in Sunday’s Spokesman Review. Click here to read my stories: a glossary of Medicare reform buzzwords, how the bills would affect cancer care and how to contact Congress with your opinions.