After a widely circulated email from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office announced a health care press conference scheduled for this morning, the rumors that she would unveil a bill began. Apparently, they are true. The Washington Post reports today that the Democrat health care bill will include a public option, to be revealed today. The Post reports:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will unveil a health-care reform bill on Thursday that includes a government insurance option and a historic expansion of Medicaid, although sticking points in the legislation involving abortion and immigration remain unresolved.
Senior Democratic House aides said the bill would likely include a version of the "public option" preferred by moderates and may raise Medicaid eligibility levels to 150 percent of the federal poverty level for all adults, a steeper increase than in earlier drafts.The House legislation aims to provide health insurance of one form or another to almost all Americans at an expected cost just below $900 billion over 10 years, without increasing the federal budget deficit for at least 20 years, House Democrats said. Pelosi (D-Calif.) was awaiting official data Wednesday night from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, but was aiming to release the legislation at an event Thursday morning.