If Medicare could save $3 billion, wouldn't that be a big deal? According to a recent report from the OIG, Medicare could have saved as much as $3.1 billion in 2011 by requiring pharmaceutical manufacturers to pay rebates on 60 high-cost Medicare Part B drugs. While Medicaid has a drug rebate program, designed to reduce state and federal costs for prescription drugs, "Medicare has no requirement for manufacturers to pay rebates, despite the fact that Medicare accounts for a substantial share of the market for the types of drugs covered under Part B," the report said.

While the OIG recommended that CMS evaluate the impacts of a Medicare Part B rebate program and if necessary ask for congressional approval, CMS said no thanks, saying it did not have the available resources to devote to such an evaluation. Additionally, CMS said the President's FY 2014 budget proposal does not call for a Medicare Part B rebate program.