41.   So far, House Republicans have said that the only increases in costs for Medicare beneficiaries will come from increasing their premiums for the doctor visits.

42.   Sperling said the president wanted to be sure that any move to increase Medicare premiums would not endanger bipartisan support for the budget-balancing bill.

43.   That will increase private premiums.

44.   The airline reneged on that promise, they said, when it later increased the premiums they must pay for health coverage and reduced some benefits.

45.   The budget proposal increases Medicare premiums.

46.   The Clinton administration told HMOs that they would not be allowed to increase premiums or cut benefits for the elderly.

47.   The GOP proposal would also sharply increase premiums for affluent seniors.

48.   The government also ended two years worth of special income tax rebates in July and increased medical premiums in September.

49.   The higher deductible for the wealthy could raise the cost of health insurance for employers providing retiree coverage and also increase Medigap premiums.

50.   The Medicare provision, which would have increased monthly premiums for most senior citizens, had nothing to do with the issue at hand.