Democrat: Medicare '"buy-in" likely out of health bill

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic Senator Max Baucus said on Monday a compromise plan to expand the Medicare health program for the elderly to allow those as young as age 55 to buy in probably would be dropped from a broad healthcare bill.

"It's looking like that's the case," Baucus said after a meeting of Democratic senators to search for a way forward on the bill, President Barack Obama's top domestic priority.

The meeting was called after Senator Joe Lieberman, an independent who caucuses with Democrats and is a crucial vote on the overhaul, said he would join Republicans in blocking the bill if the Medicare expansion was included.

(Editing by Eric Beech)