“The Kaiser Family Foundation released, Medicare Now And In The Future, the second in a series of 2008 election briefs on key health policy issues. This brief provides an overview of Medicare, the nation’s federal health insurance program that covers nearly 45 million people, explaining who the program covers, what services are provided, how elderly and disabled care is delivered and what issues and challenges face Medicare in the future. Medicare’s long-term financing challenges, the role of private plans in Medicare, potential changes to the outpatient prescription drug benefit, and the adequacy of current benefits are highlighted.”