Pelosi: House Bill Will Include Public Health Insurance Option

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters at a Thursday briefing that she was glad to see the Senate making progress on its version of health care reform but she emphasized that the House plan would look markedly different - by including a public option.

"I fully support the public option. The public option will be in the bill that passes the House," Pelosi (D-Calif.) said purposefully.

By including a public health insurance option in the House version, Pelosi will set up a confrontation between the House and the Senate when they meet in conference committee to hash out the differences between the two bills.

She demurred when asked to evaluate the bill unveiled by Senate Finance Committee chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), saying that she was watching how it progressed. She did not commit to a vote on the House floor on a health care bill before the Senate acts, saying that she was unsure of the upper chamber's schedule. She did say, however, that the bill would move before the end of the year.

The Baucus bill largely conforms to a deal that the committee, the White House and the pharmaceutical industry struck this summer. It doesn't allow for the government to negotiate with drug makers to lower costs or to re-import cheaper drugs from Canada.

"We have different things in our bill. We have the right to negotiate rates in the Energy and Commerce [Committee] bill," Pelosi told the Huffington Post after the briefing. "The Senate bill does not close the doughnut hole. We do," she added, referring to the period of time when Medicare does not cover prescription medicine for seniors. "And so we have some differences on those issues that relate to prescription drugs."

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Comments

[justobserve]

Keep up the good work, Pelosi! A public option is the ONLY way to reduce costs. The insurance industry is now exempted from the anti-trust laws so there no competition. Their monopoly is absolute now! Also, why is it "It doesn't allow for the government to negotiate with drug makers to lower costs or to re-import cheaper drugs from Canada"? Aren't we looking for ways to lower costs? It seems the money the industry paid to congressmen and women are at work here for their benefit!

[CherokeeGirl]

Cmon House Progressives, we are standing behind you. Be our champions.

Every day the news tries to kill the public option or the entire bill.

Chuck Todd is a political hack that just makes things up but pretends he knows everything.

This morning he said "Now watch the end game play out with this gang of 4"

No, Chuck, I would prefer NOT! It's not the end game Chuck, you are wrong.

And Lawrence O'Donnell is stuck int he past, Jonathan Alter is Rahm's bro-mance.

We are not blind, we can see what's REALLY GOING ON. This shell game won't work.

So, stand up for us, our favorite legislative branch, the one that IS productive.

Keep holding that line, we can always get up again and hit 'em one more time.

[paleoimage]

Pelosi's correct - without the public option, healthcare reform is a waste of time.
Come on! Even Bill O'Reilly knows that!

[sviolette]

She sould be impeached for taking impeachment of Bush and Cheney off the table. She is guilty of obstructing justice.

[Larryjk]

Thumbs up to SOH Pelosi!

[Lerrin]

No health insurance, no paid time off. FIVEjobs- all contract/part-time: getting maximum number of hours that I can (work 7 days/week). My work day starts at 6:30a, and often goes to 11:00p when the last tasks are done. NO food stamps/NO government assistance. I make other people's lives easier & their work possible.
Thursday before Labor Day weekend: 103F + upper respiratory infection + confirmed H1N1 (via nasal swab). One treatment regiment of Tamiflu + antibiotic (FIVE DAYS of meds) cost me ONE WEEK'S TAKEHOME PAY. I've yet to receive the bill (for the office visit + nasal swab test) from the for-profit, doctor-owned convenient care center that I finally had to go to (since all community care clinics were either closed or had no appointments) .
Some more reality therapy for the ignorant: I also need a colonoscopy (immediate family member died of metastasized colon cancer), but it's not happening any time soon. The same doctor's group (the only game in town) quoted me a price of $3500-$4000, with $2000 cash up front expected 48 hrs prior to the procedure (since there's no insurance company involved). (The charge for the same procedure (negotiated by insurance is ~ $950)
I am expected to pay SIGNIFICANTLY MORE- & cash in advance- solely because I am self-insured.
And people REALLY believe that the insurance agencies and the for-profit doctors' groups are going to self-regulate? As Dr. Phil would say 'Based on results- how's THAT working?'
PUBLIC OPTION NOW.

[IDIOTA]

Why fear a Confederate filibuster in the Senate? Let the Good 'Ole Party filibuster through Christmas if they want to. Maybe we'll finally hear their excellent plans.

[IDIOTA]

Fantastic -- keep pushing for reform, Speaker Pelosi. The Senate will follow when it realizes that a Confederate Party filibuster is bad for the Republicans and instructive for the nation's voters.

In other words -- who gives a fvck about a Confederate filibuster of true health care reform? They will be seen as obstructionist idiots, particularly after the President has wasted so much time playing ball with them.

The Confederates, if they filibuster, will look bad and hasten the erosion of their party.

[jkpcguru]

The Houses dems should load their bill with all kinds of liberal goodies not included up to now, including a nice robust public option and pass it.

Then when it comes time for Conference committee, do all the wheeling and dealing with the few republicans we need.

This way we lose what we knew we'd never get and keep what we need. Just an idea.

[Clovie]

The House bill should have single-payer, then they can split the difference with a public option once the Senate gets involved.

[BillyMae]

Good for you. You go girl!

[JimShanor]

Yeah, don't give up to the special interests. The people want a public option in spite of the heavy lobbying and spending from the Corporate Greed Heads. Only problem is that there are a number of Congressmen and Congresswomen in the grips of the lobbyists. Ream them for all of us.

[jennylynn]

When will they vote on this? They are the majority.

[sc300nc]

Is she talking about the government option that the majority of the people in this country oppose?

[BowlyJones]

No, she is talking about the governtment option that the majority of the people in this country SUPPORT!

[Chernynkaya]

http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/funny-pictures-darwin-award-snake.jpg

[JohnnyWalkerBlueLabel]

Other than rationing, how can health care costs be contained?

1. Non-economic malpractice awards against hsoplitals, doctors and Pharma.

2. Cash Discount: A thought I had is that assuming much of the high cost of fees for service is caused by uncollected fees. The providers have to charge paying customers more, to cover the cost of the deadbeats who don't pay. What if we instituted cost controls on doctors, hospitals and pharmacies that cash paying customers would get a discounted price equal to their lowest acceptable reimbursement rate they's negotiated with third party insurance payors (perhaps not counting below market reimbursements by Medicare and Medicaid.)

As a result, more previously non-performing collections could be collected, because people tend to pay a reasonable bill, rather than throw up their hands and refuse to pay, or file bankruptcy.

I wonder if this approach to the bill VS collections elasticity equation has been vetted?

I can't find any figures on the web for performance of cash bill paying for medical services, so I can't try it out.

[PiscesPrincess]

Well, Yes, hospitals will call and negotiate payment amts after 60 days. I had it happen to me a few years ago when I had no insurance AT ALL. We made a deal. Cut the total in half if I paid immediately with a credit card. Back when I still HAD a credit card. lol. anyway, Drs. have also negotiated with patients without insurance for years.
You are of course, assuming people will have the CASH to pay a negotiated settlement. sigh.
easier to just get everyone insured. Period and at a reasonable premium that everyone can afford.
and now we are back to square one.

[ChefLito]

Thank you, Madame Speaker! You rightfully belong on the Speaker's seat!
I'm glad you're not buying into Baucus' protectionist attitude towards the insurance industry,
and that you have more guts to do what is right for the American people compared to Obama
Obama misled us with his political platform, and now simply kowtowing to the insurance and health care industries, instead of doing what is right for the country. Evidently, Mr Obama is ensuring that he will be a one-term President.
You're a true liberal, caring for the people, particularly the poor ones who neither have the voice nor the money to protect themselves.

[PiscesPrincess]

Evidently you do NOT Listen to our President when he speaks to the people. stop watching the MSM and Listen. He is not dropping the ball on health care. Listen.

[sunshinerain]

We won't know if he's dropped the ball until we see the bill that actually passes. Until then, I have my doubts. He is WAY too conciliatory, in my opinion, with people who only want to obstruct things.