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Legislative pressure is mounting on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to extend the enrollment deadline for the Medicare Part D drug benefit.

A total of 48 senators sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) asking him to address legislation that would extend the May 15 deadline for enrollment. Sens. Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) wrote the letter.

Nelson introduced a bill that would extend the deadline. He is co-sponsoring similar legislation with Snowe. Earlier this week, CMS said it does not have the authority to extend the deadline to all beneficiaries. Beneficiaries pay a penalty if they enroll after May 15.