A prescription drug benefit became part of Medicare in 2006. With the benefit moving toward maturity, Hudson Institute convened a conference to assess its progress to date. At the center of the discussion was an assessment offered by former Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt, who oversaw its implementation. Following that, a panel addressed the political and practical experiences of implementing the program.

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Iranian workers walk past a destroyed residential building due to Israeli attacks in Tehran, Iran, on June 13, 2025. (Morteza Nikoubazl via Getty Images)