Tonight the group of ten Democratic senators, five liberals and five moderates, that Majority leader Harry Reid appointed to forge a compromise on the public option has reached a "broad agreement" on a plan that will be sent to the CBO for scoring. While details are very sparse at the moment, it appears that the compromise does not include anything that could be identified as a "public option"--a government-run alternative to compete with private insurance. It seems to feature a broadening of the Medicare program to include anyone over 55; those younger than the current minimum Medicare age of 65 would have to pay for access. It also includes broad access to to a government-administered program of privately-run nonprofit insurance plans that would be almost exactly like the program available to members of Congress.
Earlier in the day an amendment sponsored by Sen. Ben Nelson that would have introduced abortion restrictions similar to those in the House bill was rejected by the Senate.
You can read Washioington Post coverage of the events of this eventful day here and the Wall Street Journal here.
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