MEDICARE BATTLE HEATS UP

TheRepublican push to cut Medicarein order to balance the budget promises to flare into a full-fledged political dogfight this week,TIME Washington economics correspondent Suneel Ratanreports. On Tuesday, the GOP-controlled House Ways and Means Committee will fire the first shot, summoning Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, who signed a federal report stating that the Medicare system will go bust by 2002, and demanding timely congressional action. The Republicans plan to ask her what the Administration would do to prevent the collapse of the Medicare system. Ratan notes that slashing Medicare spending or raising taxes would seem to be the only two solutions. President Clinton plans to fire the next shot Wednesday at the White House Conference on Aging. Ratan says the President will attack the GOP for considering Medicare cuts.