House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reiterated that the healthcare reform legislation that will pass the House will contain a provision for publicly funded health insurance.
Speaking at a healthcare summit sponsored by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, Pelosi acknowledged that the biggest obstacle to what she called the "historic opportunity" to reform healthcare is the public option.
But she stated flatly: "The bill that will pass the House of Representatives will have a public option in it."
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland has said that while he favors a public option, he also wants a healthcare bill that will pass both houses of Congress.
Republicans appear unanimous in opposing government-funded public health insurance, and some moderate Democrats are concerned that the public option lacks enough votes to pass the Senate, according to CNN.
But Pelosi won't compromise on the issue, station KGO-TV in San Francisco reported. "The public option is the best way to keep the insurance companies honest," she said.
Democratic leaders assert that a public option would ensure that all Americans receive insurance coverage and force private insurers to lower costs due to competition.
Pelosi had said last month that there was "no way" she could pass a bill in the House without a public option.
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