WASHINGTON BUREAU — Congress should increase the normal Medicare eligibility age to 67 and replace the government-run basic Medicare program with access to private plans, according to the Healthcare Leadership Council (HLC).

The HLC, Washington, represents large pharmaceutical companies, device makers, insurers and health care providers. Members include Aetna Inc., Hartford (NYSE:AET).

The group has sent what it says is a proposal that could cut Medicare spending by $410 billion over 10 years to congressional leaders and to members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction – the 12-member "Super Committee" that is supposed to find $1.2 trillion in deficit reductions by Thanksgiving.

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