http://www.pressherald.com/news/state/031118medicare.shtmlWASHINGTON — Maine's two Republican senators continue to have concerns about legislation to create a prescription-drug benefit within Medicare, a key element of what would be the largest expansion in the history of the 38-year-old health-care program for the elderly and disabled. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins are particularly wary of a provision that would put Medicare in competition with private insurers, a change that Republican leaders and President Bush are pushing to keep costs down.
So far, Snowe and Collins have not said how they will vote. But with congressional leaders hoping to approve a bill for Bush to sign by Friday, their votes will be critical in a Senate that has 51 Republicans, 48 Democrats and one independent.
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Snowe and Collins were among 44 lawmakers - including seven Republicans - who signed a letter Friday objecting to what is called "premium support," a plan to subsidize private insurers to provide the benefit in competition with Medicare.