John C. Goodman and Sean R. Tuffnell

In the following viewpoint, John C. Goodman and Sean R. Tuffnell contend that prescription drug coverage should be provided through a private plan rather than Medicare. They argue that the funds the elderly receive through Medicare should be combined with the money they already spend on supplemental insurance and used to purchase private coverage. Goodman is the president and Tuffnell is the communications manager for the National Center for Policy Analysis, a nonpartisan research institute.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to a 1996 study cited by the authors, for every dollar spent on prescription drugs, how much money is saved in hospital expenses?
2. How much would the average senior save if he or she chose a fee-for-service plan instead of a combination of...