Study suggests seniors who reach Medicare's "doughnut hole" are less likely to use prescription drugs.

CQ (2/4, Attias) reports, "Two studies released Tuesday show that, while the Medicare Part D drug benefit reduced out-of-pocket spending for seniors and increased their use of essential medicines during its first year in 2006, Part D patients increased their use of less beneficial medications and decreased medication usage when they entered the coverage gap known as the 'doughnut hole.'" Therefore, the studies' authors "recommended redesigning the benefit to provide additional coverage in the doughnut hole to prevent adverse health effects in seniors." CQ notes that the "coverage gap was originally implemented to keep the cost of the program within the amount specified by the congressional budget resolution." Although "the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services did not comment directly on the studies, agency spokesman Peter Ashkenaz said CMS data show that in 2007 and 2008, the average number of prescriptions filled showed little change as enrollees entered the coverage gap." Both studies were published online in Health Affairs.