Medicare Accord Takes Form; Shape of Compromise on Prescription-Drug Coverage Is Emerging
Washington -- POLITICIANS HERE profess a strong desire to expand Medicare to cover prescription drugs, but getting the job done is proving difficult, with a handful of divisive issues threatening the legislation.</br></br>In hopes of prodding both sides toward an agreement, congressional leaders had set a tentative -- if overly ambitious -- deadline of Friday for major progress on pending legislation. With lawmakers scheduled to meet several times this week, that could happen. But fundamental disagreements over the long-term direction of the Medicare program remain.</br></br>Conservative House Republicans are insisting on major changes that liberal Senate Democrats oppose. The loss of either group could doom the legislation.</br></br>Still, there is a growing sense of what a compromise might look like and what each side might have to give up to reach agreement. Negotiating such a deal won't be easy, especially in a deteriorating political climate characterized by partisan disputes over the federal budget deficit and foreign policy. "It's going to be tougher today to convince people to support a solid bipartisan bill . . . because of the increased tension," says Sen. Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat who helped shepherd the Senate bill through the chamber. "I set the bar high. The other side set the bar high. It's too early to predict the outcome."</br></br>Everyone agrees on one thing: Unless negotiators produce compromise legislation by next month, they won't have much of a shot at getting the bill through Congress this year -- and with the presidential campaign revving up, next year would be even tougher. Here are some of the major issues in the attempt to revamp the federal health program, which covers about 40 million Americans: