Medicare Buy-In Proposal Could Begin In 2010

By GottaLaff

Bingo.

Glimmers of encouraging news are sneaking in to the health care mess:

Now, it appears, negotiators are making headway to ensure that the expansion would take place at a far quicker pace than any proposed public option. According to the well-placed source, Democrats are rallying behind a proposal that would allow a portion of the 55-64 year old age group to buy in to the Medicare system as early as 2010. By contrast, a public plan for insurance coverage would not come into being until 2014.

This would be a major breakthrough in the context of negotiations. Former DNC Chairman Howard Dean, who was responsible for pushing the buy-in proposal among Senate Democrats this past week, told Think Progress that he backed the idea, but only if it was available from day one.

There are new caveats. Please go read the rest.