Healthcare overhaul effort moves forward without Kennedy

Senate Democrats and the White House are stepping up preparations to overhaul the nation's healthcare system without the ailing Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, a move that could dramatically alter the course the legislative struggle. While battling a malignant brain tumor, the 77-year-old Kennedy spent months working on a sweeping bill that Democrats hope will help lay a foundation for the most ambitious health overhaul in generations. And lawmakers in both parties were counting on Kennedy's stature and deal-making skills to help craft the kind of bipartisan compromise that many believe will be necessary if a major health bill is to pass the House and Senate.