PUBLIC OPTION GOES - OR DOES IT? - AT 9:16 A.M. ET:  From Fox News:

WASHINGTON -- After days of secret talks, Senate Democrats tentatively agreed Tuesday night to drop a full-blown government-run insurance option from sweeping health care legislation, several officials said, a concession to party moderates whose votes are critical to passage of President Barack Obama's top domestic priority.

In its place, officials said Democrats had tentatively settled on a private insurance arrangement to be supervised by the federal agency that oversees the system through which lawmakers purchase coverage, with the possibility of greater government involvement if needed to ensure consumers of sufficient choices in coverage.

COMMENT:  I'd look at that with two eyes.  This is only a tentative agreement on the Senate version.  That would have to be reconciled with the House version, which contains a strong public option.  And then there is the abortion issue, with Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska threatening to filibuster the whole thing if the bill contains federal funding for abortion.

Health "reform" is not a done deal, which is good news.  The public is against the current bills.  The whole subject requires further study, journalistic examination (hah), and discussion with patients and physicians.

December 9, 2009