11.   A big part of the Medicare debate is likely to focus on whether the costs of a federal prescription benefit program can be controlled.

12.   Checks for social security and other benefit programs such as Medicare would continue to go out.

13.   Concern for the future of these health and income benefit programs is driving an intense debate in Washington and around the country.

14.   Congressional negotiators have agreed on legislation that would allow older military retirees to sign up for the same health benefits program now offered to civilian federal employees.

15.   Companies also should analyze their benefits programs for inequities.

16.   Darman described Medicare and other benefit programs as Pac-Men or Cookie Monsters, gobbling up everything in their path.

17.   Dayton-based NCR Corp., long considered a business anomaly with its rich employee benefits program, is catching up with the times.

18.   Democrats went on the offensive, charging that a Republican balanced-budget proposal would force big cuts in Medicare and other popular benefit programs.

19.   Democrats argued that the Republican plan would gut benefit programs like Medicare and would neuter federal initiatives on issues like environmental protection that have broad support.

20.   Does that sound good to you as the U.S. Congress ponders cuts in virtually all benefit programs in America?