Mr. Simpson said co-payments charged to beneficiaries would "have to go up".
But, Mr. Thomas added, a problem remains, the amount of co-payments charged to low-income people.
Many health plans that remain in the program have cut benefits, including coverage of prescription drugs, or increased the premiums and co-payments charged to beneficiaries this year.
President Clinton specifies details of the basic drug benefit, including the co-payments charged to beneficiaries; House Republicans will invite private insurers to offer a variety of competing drug plans.
Paul Fitzhenry, a spokesman for Pfizer, which makes Lipitor, pointed the finger at health insurers, which he said were increasing their drug payment charges to members faster than drug makers were raising their prices.
Since nodes spend different cost to forward packets, it is desirable to reimburse nodes according to their cost so that nodes get incentive while the least total payment is charged to the sender.
The program, which is self-financed through the interest payments and fees charged to the investment companies, is authorized to loan $3 billion each year; last year, Ms. Mills said, it committed only half that.
Then she taps the iPad to take the payment, which will be charged to his credit-card account, and hands over the food.
Plans are being studied to add credit histories, subway travel payments and small purchases charged to the card.
iTunes propelled iPod volumes and margin by providing an ecosystem that comprised two innovations: "music by the slice" (v albums,) and a truly new micro-payment system (99 cents charged to a credit card).
