**US President Barack Obama has welcomed a healthcare deal reached by Senate Democrats, saying it will help pave the way towards passing the legislation.**Senate Democratic negotiators agreed on Tuesday to replace a government-run insurance option with a scaled-back non-profit plan.
“The Senate made critical progress last night with a creative new framework,” Mr Obama said. “I support this effort.”
The Senate is in its 10th straight day of debate on the landmark bill.
Key compromises
Senate moderates and liberals worked out a plan that includes non-profit national health plans administered by the Office of Personnel Management, which runs the popular federal employees’ health plan.
The compromise also opens Medicare to uninsured Americans beginning at age 55 instead of 65, effective in 2011.
US HEALTHCARE
“We have a broad agreement,” Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid announced on Tuesday, saying the legislation could now pass before the end of the year.
Mr Reid said he would provide details of the plan after getting a cost analysis from the Congressional Budget Office.
The healthcare bill is a key domestic issue for President Obama.
The legislation aims to extend coverage to tens of millions of uninsured Americans, but faces entrenched opposition from Republicans.
The House of Representatives passed its version of the bill earlier this month.
If the Senate can agree a plan, the two versions will have to be reconciled and passed again by each chamber before they are sent to the White House for approval.
The legislation could lead to the biggest changes in US healthcare in decades, if approved.