Senators strike tentative deal to drop public option for health insurance

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Democratic senators say they have a tentative deal to drop a government-run insurance option from healthcare legislation.

No further details were immediately available.

But liberals and moderates have been discussing an alternative, including a private insurance arrangement to be supervised by the federal agency that oversees the system through which lawmakers purchase coverage. Additionally, talks centered on opening Medicare to uninsured Americans beginning at age 55, a significant expansion of the large government healthcare program that currently serves the over-65 population.

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) told reporters he didn’t like the agreement but would support it to the hilt in an attempt to pass healthcare legislation.

-- Associated Press