Talks on Medicare drug bill at 'impasse'

November 05, 2003|Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- Efforts to fashion compromise Medicare prescription drug legislation neared an uncertain crossroads yesterday, with marathon negotiations seemingly stalled as Democrats rejected a Republican demand to open the government program to competition.

"We have to be more creative and figure out a way around what appears to be an impasse," said Representative William M. Thomas, Republican of California, the lead House negotiator in talks with the Senate that began in early summer.

"Clearly this Medicare bill is on life support, but it's not too late to resuscitate," said Senator Edward M. Kennedy, whose support for an earlier bill helped build bipartisan support.

Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle told reporters that in the past few weeks Republicans had been discussing "privatizing Medicare and increasing the premiums on Medicare," as well as cutting benefits.

Some officials closely involved in the talks dismissed the downbeat rhetoric as jockeying for position in a new, more intense round of bargaining.

Senate majority leader Bill Frist, Republican of Tennessee, sounded more confident, predicting that legislation would be ready for a vote before the Nov. 21 target adjournment date set for lawmakers.

Other Republicans, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that Frist and House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert intend to become more involved in the legislation over the next several days -- and that President Bush is prepared to do likewise -- in an effort to reach a compromise.

Among the issues House-Senate negotiators have yet to resolve are proposals to make it easier for lower-cost generic drugs to reach the marketplace, and a call to legalize the importation of lower-cost brand-name prescription drugs from Canada and elsewhere.