Average out-of-pocket spending has fallen and averageprescription drug use has risen modestly, according to an early analysis of theeffect of the Medicare Part D drug program on the prescription drug market.

Seniors ages 66 to 79 experienced a 13.1% decrease incosts and a 5.9% increase in prescription drug use, researchers say. Studyauthors captured data from patients who filled at least one prescription inboth 2005 and 2006 at any Walgreens retail or mail-order outlet.

The study that produced these findings was a joint effortbetween researchers at Harvard University, the University of Chicago andVirginia Commonwealth University, and sampled information collected fromWalgreen’s pharmacies between 2005 and 2006.

More on the results is available at

http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/0000605-200802050-00200v1and also will appear in the Feb. 5 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.