Harry Reid is holding a press conference starting at 3:15 to announce the details of the health care bill that will voted on by the Senate. Early reports say that the bill will include the opt-out public option. This is important because it will take 60 votes to remove the public option out of the bill.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid appears poised today to announce his intent to include a public option with an opt out clause in the bill he brings to the Senate floor.
Policy details will likely be scarce, and the draft bill could still change. What goes to CBO will have different options under certain sections of the legislation, and there are conflicting reports that Reid might ask the CBO to send back analyses of other versions of the public option. Though most on the left would prefer it if public option compromises would simply be suffocated of all oxygen, it’s also true that if a public option with an opt-out clause is included in the base bill, it will to a great extent shape the the floor debate. (For instance, 60 votes would be required to strip the public option out of the bill.)
I will update when the announcement is made.
Update The bill will include the public option.
Update #2 The bill will also contain co-ops. I’m not sure what that’s about. Is it for states who opt out to form state-based public options?