MIAMI (AP) - The head of the country's Medicare and Medicaid programs is in South Florida today promoting changes he says will save seniors and the disabled money.

The greater Miami and Orlando areas are among 10 areas nationwide that, starting this week, have begun a competitive bidding process for medical equipment such as wheelchairs, oxygen tanks and hospital beds.

The Bush administration says the change will save people on the amount they must copay and eventually will save the government a billion dollars a year.

But the companies that sell the affected equipment question have strongly opposed the changes.


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