Behind the Times Data on Seniors' Health Costs?

The latest issue of the journal Health Affairs contains a study showing that the Medicare beneficiaries are spending more out-of-pocket on health care in 2003 (15.5 percent) than they did in 1997 (11.9 percenet). I hope the full study (which I haven't read yet) points out that 2003 was the year before the new prescription drug benefit kicked in, and, presumably, sharply lowered many seniors' out-of-pocket costs.