Lieberman says Senate opposition is growing to proposal for early Medicare buy-in

Senator says opposition grows to Medicare buy-in

WASHINGTON — Two senators whose support for the health care overhaul has been in question are speaking out against a proposal to let people as young as 55 buy into Medicare.

Independent Joe Lieberman of Connecticut says opposition is growing to the Medicare buy-in. Lieberman says that he’d “have a hard time voting for it.”

Democrat Ben Nelson of Nebraska says he fears the proposal could lead to single-payer government health care.

The proposal was part of a compromise when Senate Democrats dropped the idea of setting up a federal health insurance plan in the marketplace. Many Democrats who favored that option have found the Medicare plan appealing. But several moderates are against it, and Democrats need all their votes.

Lieberman and Nelson on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”