Pelosi Unveils House Health Care Reform Bill

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) introduced the final draft of health care reform legislation Thursday that, like the recently announced sister legislation in the Senate, will include a government administered insurance option.

“The [Affordable Health Care For America Act] will expand coverage, including a public option to boost choice and competition in health insurance reform,” said Pelosi during an unveiling ceremony with other House Democrats at the U.S. Capitol.

While the public plan introduced Thursday is likely to satisfy moderate Democrats, it runs the risk of upsetting progressives, who have long been pushing for a more “robust” option. As it now stands, the public option grants health care providers more leverage in reimbursement rate negotiations.

Still, Pelosi lauded the bill during the ceremony, claiming that it will be deficit neutral, close the Medicare Part D coverage “donut hole” and extend coverage to 96% of Americans. Pelosi also promised that the bill will be available online 72 hours before it reaches the floor.

The Speaker’s remarks were briefly interrupted by megaphone wielding pro-life protestors. Pelosi responded to the distraction, quipping “thank you, insurance companies of America.” The demonstrators were not permitted entrance to the closed ceremony.

At the ceremony’s close, Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), the longest serving member of the House, presented the Speaker with the gavel used during the passage of Medicare.

Pelosi: Robust Public Option Is Not Dead

By Leah Valencia, University of New Mexico- Talk Radio News Service

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) denounced reports that said she did not have enough votes for a “robust” public option Friday, saying the vote count has not been finalized and that any speculation about it is premature.

Pelosi’s comments came in response to an article published by Politico Friday morning in which Mike Allen reported that the Speaker had counted the votes and come up short on votes for a plan that included the plan.

“By no means is the count complete or has any decision been made,” Pelosi said in response during a press conference Friday.

The speaker did say that a robust public option is not the only way the bill could go and that conversations about the public option have begun to include discussions of a weaker version.

“At the end of the day we will have a public option in our legislation,” Pelosi said.

House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) said that there has not been a count as to which version of the public option will be in the bill, but noted that developments in the Senate to possibly include a public option has given the House more flexibility.

“We are trying to inform our members of what we are trying to do, and we are trying to find out which one of these approaches will best suit the most people,” Clyburn said.

Pelosi Blames Bush Administration For Current Conditions In Afghanistan

By Leah Valencia - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) pointed her finger at the Bush administration Thursday, blaming it for the current conditions in Afghanistan.

“Our troops in Afghanistan are at risk because... the entire Bush administration looked the other way on Afghanistan, there was never a plan,” Pelosi said during her weekly press conference.

The Speaker said that during President Bush's time as Commander in Chief the Taliban gained strength because there was not a policy that indicated to the Afghan government that the U.S. would not tolerate corruption.

“We have missed opportunities over the years and made matters worse...for President Obama,” Pelosi said.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney accused President Barack Obama Wednesday night of being weak in his strategy for Afghanistan, saying that his indecision “hurt our allies and embolden our adversaries.”

"The White House must stop dithering while America's armed forces are in danger," Cheney said while making remarks at a function held by the Center for Security Policy.

Pelosi defended the current President, saying that he should take the appropriate time needed to make sound decisions.

“The President should not make a decision any sooner than he has the right information to do so,” she said. “Matters are so much worse because of the missed opportunities for seven and a half years, it is really tragic.”

Pelosi And Hoyer Meet With Young Girls With Pre-Existing Conditions

By Laura Smith, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Rep. Mark Schauer (D-Mich.) and Jim Williams, the CEO of Easter Seals, a non-profit that helps disabled youth, held a briefing today to talk about the importance of health care reform for children with pre-existing conditions.

"Every family in America is one phone call, one accident, one diagnosis away from needing what we have in our bill," Pelosi said.

A mother, Roxanne, and her daughter, Shannon, who has cerebral palsy, were also present at the meeting.

Roxanne said that Shannon has dreams and that she's been fortunate to have had Medicaid almost all of her life, and she's progressed very well with having Medicaid. Shannon she had a surgery recently and also needed therapy to fully recovery, and Medicaid will not pay for it.

"These aren't just the services she needs now, this is services she needs all her life. Cerebral palsy doesn't just go away," Roxanne said.

She said she really wanted her daughter to get the therapy she needs so she can live a very full and independent life, like her.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said the health care bill is about making sure no American is left without the health care they need. He also said the health care bill is about "whether or not the nation can say 'yes we can' today.'"

Hoyer also introduced a young woman named Jessica, who at 21 months old was in a horrible car accident with her mother. She made a recovery, but her insurance company saw the accident as a pre-existing condition.

He mentioned how she was planning on getting married this month, but when she does, she will have to find different health insurance that she can afford and that will also accept her pre-existing condition.

"She ought not have to choose between her health insurance and getting married," Hoyer said.

Jessica said the organization Easter Seals has always been there for her. She said that her insurance wouldn't pay for her Easter Seals when she turned 21, and that one of her biggest expenses is a dietary supplement that she's paying for out of her pocket.

Pelosi said, "These girls demonstrate so clearly that, in our society, we must respect people for what they can do, rather than judge them for what they can not do."

Pelosi Criticizes Insurance Companies, Defends Public Option

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) fired back Thursday at what appears to be a major push by insurance companies to sway the health care reform debate.

“If anyone had any doubts about the need for such an option, you only need to look at the behavior of the health insurance industry this week,” Pelosi said during a press conference, referencing a report released by America’s Health Insurance Plans claiming health care costs would rise under the Senate Finance Committee’s bill.

Pelosi described the report as “totally discredited.”

The Speaker went on to explain that while the mandate requiring individuals to purchase insurance is becoming more widely discussed, support for the public option is growing in response.

“If you’re going to mandate that people must buy insurance, why would you sell them to the lions den of the insurance industry without some leverage with a public option?”

“We may call it something else by Tuesday,” Pelosi added. ‘It might have a better name.”