|
|
Article: TUG OF WAR OVER PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT.
- Article from:
- Modern Healthcare
- Article date:
- June 21, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Crain Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
President Clinton's call for Medicare to cover prescription drugs has provoked a four-way tug of war on Capitol Hill, with healthcare interest groups battling over how to fund coverage and lawmakers fighting for political advantage.
Although Congress has taken virtually no action on the issue, Congress and the White House are busy drafting legislation and working behind the scenes to develop campaign strategies that use the prescription drug benefit as an issue.
``As of now, we are headed for a collision course of the political parties on this issue,'' said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who, with Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), last week unveiled a bipartisan ...