AGENCY REPORT RECOMMENDS RISE IN MEDICARE AGE.(Main)

Byline: RICHARD L. VERNACI Associated Press

An internal report at a Cabinet agency recommends raising the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 67.

Such a change, proposed by the inspector general's office at the Department of Health and Human Services, would affect some 76 million people but save billions of dollars for the system now headed for bankruptcy.

The report acknowledges that such a move, certain to face strong opposition from senior citizen groups, would force some people to delay retiring so they could keep the health insurance their jobs provide.

It also admits that some people who retire early would be left without health insurance, and as a result would …