Examining 2007 Medicare drug spending data, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) study, Estimating the Effects of Consolidating Drugs under Part D or Part B, suggests that consolidating drug coverage under the Medicare Prescription Drug Program (Part D) could reduce overall spending.  The study analyzed the impact of consolidating drug coverage under Medicare Part B into Part D, finding it would reduce Medicare spending by $150 million. 

From the executive summary:

Although the Medicare Part D program has provided beneficiaries with coverage for pharmaceutical care since 2006, Medicare Part B still covers some drugs, generally those furnished “incident to a physician’s service,” administered using durable medical equipment (DME), and specifically covered by statute. As a result, a drug may be covered by Part B or Part D depending on the beneficiary’s health condition or form of the drug.

 

Full Report: Estimating the Effects of Consolidating Drugs under Part D or Part B (PDF | 1.08 MB)  

Accumen, LLC. (2010). Estimating the effects of consolidating drugs under Part D or Part B. Marrufo, G., Rusev, E., Piccinini, K., Coombs, E., Ueda, K.