Senate Democrats held a caucus-wide meeting last night to iron out the final details on a compromise of the chamber's health care legislation. Late Tuesday, the so-called "gang of 10" struck a deal that would jettison the watered-down public option that's currently in the bill and instead expand Medicare eligibility to those between the ages of 55 and 64 while extending a version of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan to all consumers in the health insurance exchanges. If insurance companies choose not to offer non-profit plans on the new network -- which will be nationally-based and  regulated by the Office of Personnel Management -- then a national public option could be triggered. These items have now been sent to the Congressional Budget Office to be scored.

Progressive activists are still fighting to make their voices heard. Yesterday, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee launched an online petition demanding that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid "block any 'compromise' without a strong public option" and push the bill through the budget reconciliation process, which would only require 51 votes of support. In the first four hours that the petition was open, more than 22,000 people signed up.  The results will be delivered to Illinois Sen. Roland Burris and three of his colleagues who have also stood behind a robust public option during negotiations.

Back in Illinois, the Campaign for a Better Health Care is getting in on the action as well, sending out an action alert to its members urging them to call Sens. Burris and Dick Durbin and lay out their position:

"It is NOT an either or -- we demand a strong public option, strong insurance reforms, and expanding access to Medicare to all individuals 55 and older. Better yet, let everyone join Medicare."

While that last demand isn't on the table, the CBO score will prove whether the new package that expands access and provides adequate competition. Be on the lookout for that data in the coming days.