STILL WAITING FOR THAT SEVENTH VEIL

It was supposed to be the week of the fine print. after months of hinting that his Republicans knew just how to cut $270 billion out of Medicare by 2002 while simultaneously widening its possibilities--and swearing that only the details needed polishing--Newt Gingrich finally unveiled the Medicare Preservation Act last Thursday. The proposal and its Senate counterpart, introduced Friday, were indeed abulge with details. But the most important one--how they would reach the savings goal--was missing. Highlights:

Both proposals would seek big savings by increasing what Medicare recipients pay for coverage. For most, the current monthly premium of $46.10 for doctors'...

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