Medicare's Lessons for Health Reform

April 2, 2009, 9:30am – 11:00am

About This Event

The Medicare program has successfully offered health insurance coverage to all Americans over age 65, as well as many people with disabilities, for more than 40 years. While the health reform debate has focused on changes to the health insurance market to offer a choice of private and public health plans, and Medicare exemplifies a universal, public approach to coverage, Medicare nevertheless offers a number of key lessons for health reform.

According to a paper by Marilyn Moon, which will be released at the event, Medicare's successes and its shortcomings highlight promising directions and potential pitfalls for the nation's latest effort to control health care costs and provide affordable coverage for all.

Please join a distinguished panel of experts and the Center for American Progress to consider how the Medicare program can inform this year's health care reform debate.

Featured Panelists:

Marilyn Moon, Vice President and Director of the Health Program, American Institutes for Research
Tom Scully, Senior Counsel, Alston & Bird
Bruce Vladeck, Executive Director, Health Sciences Advisory Services, Ernst & Young

Discussion Moderated by:

Karen Davenport, Director of Health Policy, Center for American Progress

Location

Center for American Progress
1333 H St. NW, 10th Floor
Washington, DC 20005