{"abstract":"This proposed rule would implement the new Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit. This new voluntary prescription drug benefit program was enacted into law on December 8, 2003, in section 101 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA). The addition of a prescription drug benefit to Medicare represents a landmark change to the Medicare program that will significantly improve the health care coverage available to millions of Medicare beneficiaries. The MMA specifies that the prescription drug benefit program will become available to beneficiaries beginning on January 1, 2006. Please see the executive summary in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for further synopsis of this rule.","action":"Proposed rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"},{"raw_name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","id":45,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/45","parent_id":221,"slug":"centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2004/08/03/04-17234.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":403,"title":42},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":411,"title":42},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":417,"title":42},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":423,"title":42}],"citation":"69 FR 46632","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":"2004-10-04","correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided below, no later than 5 p.m. on October 4, 2004.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["CMS-4068-P"],"dockets":[],"document_number":"04-17234","effective_on":null,"end_page":46863,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2004/08/03/04-17234.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2004/08/03/04-17234/medicare-program-medicare-prescription-drug-benefit","images":{"EP03AU04.000":{"large":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP03AU04.000/EP03AU04.000_large.png","medium":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP03AU04.000/EP03AU04.000_medium.png","original_size":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP03AU04.000/EP03AU04.000_original_size.png"}},"images_metadata":{"EP03AU04.000":{"large":{"identifier":"EP03AU04.000","content_type":"image/png","size":91942,"width":823,"sha":"f673a3ec0c43c88a1c7bc028b253a157","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP03AU04.000/EP03AU04.000_large.png","height":1128},"medium":{"identifier":"EP03AU04.000","content_type":"image/png","size":45355,"width":500,"sha":"dc34ea51abcd0c669e0ab9632d7a142f","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP03AU04.000/EP03AU04.000_medium.png","height":686},"original_size":{"identifier":"EP03AU04.000","content_type":"image/png","size":206220,"width":3781,"sha":"db0cd45d5420041629160cac147758ac","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP03AU04.000/EP03AU04.000_original_size.png","height":5183}}},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/04-17234?publication_date=2004-08-03","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2004-08-03/04-17234/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":232,"page_views":{"count":2069,"last_updated":"2026-08-25 22:15:03 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2004-08-03/pdf/04-17234.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":null,"publication_date":"2004-08-03","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2004/08/03/04-17234.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"0938-AN08":{"issue":"200410","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/0938-AN08/medicare-drug-benefit-effective-calendar-year-2006-title-i-cms-4068-f-","title":"Medicare Drug Benefit Effective Calendar Year 2006--Title I (CMS-4068-F)\r\n","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=200410&RIN=0938-AN08&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Economically Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["0938-AN08"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2011-11-12T12:48:47Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":46632,"subtype":null,"title":"Medicare Program; Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit","toc_doc":"Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program","toc_subject":"Medicare:","topics":["Administrative practice and procedure","Emergency medical services","Grant programs-health","Health care","Health facilities","Health insurance","Health maintenance organizations (HMO)","Health professions","Hospitals","Intergovernmental relations","Kidney diseases","Loan programs-health","Medicare","Penalties","Privacy","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements"],"type":"Proposed Rule","volume":69}