As Congress continues to debate whether and how to add prescription drug coverage to Medicare, beneficiaries with incomes near the poverty level are in danger of being overlooked. These vulnerable low-income individuals, sometimes labeled the “near poor,” have too much income or too many assets to qualify for public assistance, yet are still quite needy. As a result, they find themselves caught between public programs that are available for the poor and private coverage that is affordable for higher-income beneficiaries.