Seven million will hit Medicare 'Donut hole'

Research compiled by three US activist groups suggests that, by the end of this year, as many as seven million senior citizens could hit the notorious "Donut hole," the gap in the Medicare Part D prescription drug plan's coverage that occurs between $2,250 and $5,100 of drug expenditure annually (Marketletters passim). The figures do not, however, take into account additional coverage, including that offered by individual states, such as Pennsylvania (Marketletter July 17). Figures issued by analysts PricewaterhouseCoopers suggest the number is closer to 3.4 million people.