21.   - Prescription drug coverage, not offered by traditional Medicare, is one of the most popular features of Medicare HMOs.

22.   A major perceived stumbling block to adding drug coverage is the potentially enormous cost of having the benefit.

23.   A summary of the House Republican plan says the government would guarantee access to drug coverage if private insurers did not offer it.

24.   A. Clinton makes an important start by bringing drug coverage into the Medicare benefit package.

25.   A third of Medicare recipients have no drug coverage, even though drugs have become crucial to managing chronic illnesses and can help keep patients out of the hospital.

26.   Administration officials said Tuesday the Bush prescription drug plan is one of several building blocks aimed at eventually providing comprehensive drug coverage to all Medicare beneficiaries.

27.   After that, Medicare would involve the private sector in providing drug coverage.

28.   Also, state officials are suing to force HMOs to continue to offer unlimited drug coverage.

29.   All knew people who have struggled to get by without prescription drug coverage.

30.   All this is happening while the federal government debates further expansion of benefits for already insured individuals through a patient bill of rights and prescription drug coverage for Medicare.