...supply industry. We had to be angry at the people who run Medicare and people ought
to be mad at Congress that we haven't had the guts to change the law. The law must be
changed. If we do that, you'll save billions of dollars every year.
And we're not going to take it anymore. Since it was originally broadcast, what has happened?
That was a year and a half ago we did that report, and basically not much has happened.
In fact, just next week the General Accounting Office will come out with yet another report
saying that we're paying much too much for medical supplies and we need to address the
problem. Medicare says they are scrutinizing bills internally so they can weed out the
phony, the waste. But this legal fraud, which is this overpaying for supplies, continues.
Has our compassionate and efficient Congress brought forth any legislation about this that
might help us?
But they still, to use Senator Harkin's words, haven't had the guts to pass the legislation.
He's going to reintroduce it. There are a couple of bills kicking around Congress, but
this supply industry is lobbying hard, giving lots of money to Congress, and they are adamant
about keeping these prices the same.
And the industry's response? Has there been anything on the plus side?
Oh yeah, the industry says the prices are just right, and if you lower them, we'll have
to lower the quality of care for the recipients.
Thank you. We'll be right back.
Thank you.
Now it's time to check in with Nightline, and Ted Koppel will continue with ABC News
coverage of the McVeigh sentencing.
Tonight on Nightline, will the death sentence against Timothy McVeigh renew America's faith
in the justice system or turn McVeigh into a martyr? Reaction from McVeigh's lawyer,
Stephen Jones, tonight, followed by Politically Incorrect.
That's Nightline after your local news. And you can now visit our new Internet website
to find out more about the McVeigh case at ABCNews.com. And that is 2020 for tonight.
We thank you for joining us.
And remember, we're in touch, so you be in touch. I'm Barbara Walters.
And I'm Hugh Downs.
And thank you for all of us here at 2020.