Both parties want private entities to manage drug benefits for Medicare patients, as they do in employer-sponsored health plans.

Express Scripts manages drug benefits for 38.5 million people.

Such concerns would grow if these companies managed drug benefits for Medicare recipients.

The Government would hire private companies to manage drug benefits for the elderly.

The Government would award contracts to private organizations to manage drug benefits for Medicare patients.

Under Mr. Clinton's proposal, the government would hire companies to manage drug benefits for the elderly.

Merck has a stake in the legislation because it has a subsidiary that manages drug benefits for 52 million people.

Rather than overtly regulating drug prices, he noted, the Government would hire private companies to manage drug benefits for the elderly and disabled.

Medco manages drug benefits for 60 million people of all ages.

These companies already manage drug benefits for more than 200 million Americans with private health insurance.