WAMU 88.5FM American University Radio

Wednesday December 6, 2006

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Week of December 4, 2006

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What's this?

10:00The Medicare Drug Benefit

Polls show 80% of people who signed up for the Medicare prescription drug benefit are satisfied with their coverage. We talk about how the program has served older and low-income Americans in its first year, and how it will change in 2007.

Guests

Charles Hallberg, CEO of MemberHealth Inc.

Julie Rovner, health policy correspondent for National Public Radio, author of "Health Care Policy and Politics A-Z," and contributing editor for National Journal's CongressDaily.

Deane Beebe, communications director for the Medicare Rights Center

11:00Barron Lerner: "When Illness Goes Public" (Johns Hopkins)

Famous people who go public with their illnesses shed light on treatment options and can help inform other patients. A look at the history celebrity patients and how they affect our understanding of medicine.

Guests

Barron Lerner, a physician and professor of medicine and public health at Columbia University. He's the author of "Contagion and Confinement" and "The Breast Cancer Wars."

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