1.   But the traditional Medicare program does not cover outpatient prescription drugs, as many HMOs do.

2.   Currently, Medicare does not cover outpatient prescription drugs.

3.   Many elderly people joined HMOs to get outpatient drug benefits, but they may lose those benefits when they are forced out of HMOs.

4.   Medicare does not cover outpatient prescription drugs, and about a third of the elderly have no drug coverage at all.

5.   Medicare, the program for the elderly, generally does not cover outpatient prescription drugs, so the question of covering Viagra has not arisen, officials said.

6.   Millions of its members are enrolled in Medicare, which does not currently provide outpatient drug coverage.

7.   Medicare, the federal health insurance program for the elderly and disabled, does not cover most outpatient prescription drugs.

8.   One major reason is that Medicare does not cover outpatient prescription drugs.

9.   Roughly a third of the elderly have no coverage at all for outpatient drugs.

10.   Yet, seniors often swallow high deductibles for doctor visits and pay for some hospital costs and most outpatient prescription drugs.