Final answer:
The question concerns the number of patients affected by medication errors in U.S. hospitals and relates to the broader subject of healthcare costs and prescription drug coverage under Medicare. It touches on the substantial expenses incurred by the federal government and the high costs criticized in healthcare services.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question is related to the financial impact of medication errors in U.S. hospitals. While the exact number of patients affected by medication errors each year can vary, it has been reported that expenses from avoidable healthcare costs, including medication errors, are significantly high. The question seems to refer to a specific statistic regarding the number of patients affected by these errors, possibly due to lack of coverage for prescription drugs in programs such as Medicare before its expansion in 2003, though the provided information does not contain the exact number the question is asking about.
Regarding the costs associated with Medicare and prescription drugs, it is noted that after the 2003 expansion of Medicare, which included a prescription drug benefit, the federal government's expenses rose significantly. In 2006, the cost was about $40 billion and was projected to increase to $121 billion by 2016. This expansion helped the elderly to pay for prescription drugs, but there was criticism about the high costs and the gaps in coverage, especially considering the millions without any health insurance at all.