United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2001-06-14 monographic deposited born digital 19 p. GA 1.13:GAO-01-862T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-862T P0b002ee180390b2e f:d01862t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-23 GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-862T machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-862T GAO-01-862T Health insurance cost control Program management Medicare Program Medicare Hospital Insurance Program Hospital Insurance Trust Fund Medicare Supplemental Medical Insurance Program Testimony A01194 The Medicare Program faces many challenges. Clearly, the overarching issue is how to ensure that Medicare remains sustainable for future generations of beneficiaries. Meeting that challenge will involve difficult decisions that will likely affect beneficiaries, providers, and taxpayers. However, the financing issue should not obscure other important Medicare challenges. Medicare's current cost-sharing arrangements do not encourage the efficient use of services without discouraging necessary care. Moreover, the lack of catastrophic coverage can leave some beneficiaries liable for substantial Medicare expenses. Finally, some aspects of Medicare's program management are inefficient and lag behind modern private sector practices. Changes in Medicare's program management could improve both the delivery of health care to the beneficiaries and the program's ability to pay providers appropriately. Some view restructuring of the relationship between parts A and B as an important element of overall Medicare reform. Fundamentally, assessing the program as a whole is an important first step in addressing Medicare's challenges. Solutions to many of these challenges could be crafted without restructuring. However, restructuring may provide opportunities to implement desired reforms--with or without unifying the Hospital Insurance and Supplemental Medical Insurance trust funds--while undoubtedly raising issues that will have to be considered. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-862T/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-862T.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-862T/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-862T.pdf GAO-01-862T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-862T Testimony GAO-01-862T; Medicare Reform: Modernization Requires Comprehensive Program View; Health insurance cost control Program management Medicare Program Medicare Hospital Insurance Program Hospital Insurance Trust Fund Medicare Supplemental Medical Insurance Program