[영문]This year marks the 40th anniversaryof the Medicare Program. Medicare hasachieved its two basic goals of ensuring accessto care for elderly and disabled beneficiariesand protecting them from severe financialhardship. The Medicare PrescriptionDrug, Improvement, and Modernization Actof 2003 represents an important improvementby adding prescription drug coverage.Medicare’s major future challenge isresponding to the retirement of the babyboom generation and rising health carecosts. Promising policy options should aimto ensure health and financial security forbeneficiaries and proactively use Medicare’spurchasing power to achieve greater efficiencyand quality in health care for Medicarebeneficiaries and all Americans. More policyattention needs to be focused on debatingMedicare’s future, a more complex issuethan even Social Security.