The House and Senate cobbled together shaky majorities to pass bills adding a prescription drug benefit to Medicare. The president and political leaders from both parties have praised the passage of the separate bills. But conservatives have criticized those bills for being too expensive and too regulatory, and liberals have complained that the coverage is inadequate and that private health plans will undermine the traditional Medicare program. The only agreement so far is that the political stakes are high for the next election. The Conference Committee will attempt to reconcile those sharp differences of opinion to produce a single bill that will be acceptable to majorities in the House and Senate, as well as the White House. Can this be done?