First Edition: October 27, 2009

Based on today's headlines, it's fair to say that -- at least for the Senate -- it's all about Majority Leader Harry Reid's announcement regarding the public option. 

Lawmakers, White House Consider Bipartisan Route To Bend Health 'Cost Curve' Amid growing signs that health care overhaul legislation will do little to "bend the cost curve" in the coming decade, lawmakers and administration officials are considering tougher steps to rein in costly entitlement programs and address mounting concerns about soaring deficits (Kaiser Health News).

Health On The Hill - Oct. 26, 2009
Jackie Judd talks about recent health policy developments with Kaiser Health News reporters Mary Agnes Carey and Eric Pianin. Today's focus: Democratic leaders in the House and Senate are working to finalize health care legislation with the hope of floor debate beginning in the coming weeks. Both measures are widely expected to have some form of "public option" health insurance plan that would compete with other health insurers as part of a health insurance exchange. President Obama and congressional Democrats have said they hope to pass health overhaul legislation before Christmas (Kaiser Health News). Listen to audio.

Reid Says Bill Will Include A Public Option Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid announced Monday that he will include a government-backed insurance plan in the chamber's health-care reform legislation, a key concession to liberals who have threatened to oppose a bill without such a public option (The Washington Post).

Reid Gambles On Public Option In Health Care Bill Call it Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's big health care gamble. The Nevada Democrat on Monday announced that the Senate's merged health care bill would introduce a government-sponsored program into the health insurance market (NPR).

No Guarantees On Senate Health Bill's Public Plan The focus of the health overhaul debate now shifts to whether Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid can persuade a handful of moderate senators to get behind his new proposal for a government-sponsored insurance plan (The Associated Press/The Washington Post).

Senate To Add 'Public Option' To Healthcare Bill In a dramatic sign of Democrats' growing confidence that they have the votes to pass a far-reaching healthcare overhaul, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Monday that the bill he intended to send to the Senate floor next month would include a "public option" (Los Angeles Times).

Public Option Push In Senate Comes With Escape Hatch The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, sided with his party's liberals on Monday and announced that he would include a government-run insurance plan in health care legislation that he plans to take to the Senate floor within a few weeks (The New York Times).

Senate's Bill Has Public Option
The Senate's health overhaul bill will include a government insurance plan to compete with private companies, majority leader Harry Reid said yesterday, giving new life to a contentious idea that has divided the country and members of Congress who are wary of government involvement in health care (The Boston Globe).

Despite W.H. Worries, Reid Rolls Dice Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid dismissed White House worries — and bucked his own reputation as a cautious lawmaker — by announcing Monday he'll push ahead with a public health insurance option, even though he's short of the 60 votes needed to pass it (Politico).

Senate Healthcare Bill Revives Public Option. But Can It Pass? A public option in healthcare may be OK with Senate majority leader Harry Reid. But it has yet to pass muster with a more important audience: the full Senate itself (The Christian Science Monitor).

Unions Win Concessions But Fight On Organized labor is flexing its muscle in Senate negotiations over healthcare reform and winning important concessions from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (The Hill).

Liberals To Obama: Time To Step Up It's time for your close-up, Mr. President. Now that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has announced he'll try to push through a health care reform bill with a public option, liberals are turning their focus — and their frustrations — on Barack Obama, the man who brought them to the outskirts of the progressive promise land (Politico).

Long-Term Care Insurance Program Gains In House House health care legislation expected within days is likely to include a new long-term care insurance program to help seniors and disabled people stay out of nursing homes, senior Democrats say (The Associated Press).

AARP: Reform Advocate And Insurance Salesman The nation's preeminent seniors group, AARP, has put the weight of its 40 million members behind health-care reform, saying many of the proposals will lower costs and increase the quality of care for older Americans (The Washington Post).  

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