Health Care Progress Report: October 26

(CBS)  Updated at 4:50 p.m. ET with more information.

As President Obama's year-end deadline for passing comprehensive health care reform approaches, this should be a key week on Capitol Hill as Democratic leaders in both chambers could each unveil new health care bills.

CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care

As Congress works on the bills, CBSNews.com has been tracking its progress for you. Below is a chart to track the six major steps Washington needs to take to accomplish health care reform.

Today, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid he will include a government-run health insurance plan, or "public option," in the bill he introduces before the full Senate. This positions the Senate to clear the second step toward health care reform; the House may soon follow.

(CBS)

More on the progress of health care legislation in each chamber of Congress.

(AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)

SENATE: Two Senate committees have approved two different health care bills, and now Senate leadership must move onto step two and present a single bill before the full Senate. After leading negotiations with other Senate leaders and the White House, Reid announced today he would include in that bill a public option that would allow states the ability to opt out of the program.

Reid is sending different versions of his health care bill -- each with a public option -- to the Congressional Budget Office to assess the cost impact of each version before deciding which one to formally introduce.

It is still unclear whether the Democratic caucus is unified in the Senate over its health care measure. Reid included the public option in the bill after facing pressure from liberal legislators and activists on the issue. However, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) told reporters Monday that he thinks at least four key senators remain opposed to the public option opt-out plan.

Last week, the Senate voted on a separate health care measure, and the outcome did not bode well for comprehensive reform. Reid brought to the floor a bill that would have averted a 21 percent Medicare pay cut to doctors. There is widespread agreement in Washington that Congress needs to fix Medicare to ensure that doctors do not see that pay cut. Even so, the Senate was 13 votes short of advancing the bill.

Reid's failure to win over moderates, who were troubled by the fact that the Medicare fix was not paid for, could be seen as a sign that getting enough votes to pass comprehensive health care legislation will be more difficult than anticipated.

The inclusion of a public option in the Senate bill, however, is encouraging news to liberals who were concerned by reports that President Obama preferred a more moderate "trigger" plan, which would have implemented a public option after a number of years if private insurers failed to meet certain goals.

(AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)

HOUSE: The House of Representatives is also on the verge of completing step two. Three different health care bills have passed out of committee, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) may bring a unified bill to the floor this week, according to CongressDaily, an excerpt of which can be read here via Politico. Leaders in the House reportedly hope to vote on the bill by Nov. 6.

Pelosi has promised the House bill will include a public option, and last week, she was able to trim a bill with a robust public option down to a price tag of $871 billion. Given that the Senate is more seriously considering a public option, however, Pelosi said Friday there is more room for flexibility in the House bill in terms of what kind of public option is included.

[getgenec]

When Cornwallis walked to surrender his sword, which event ended our revolution until 1812, the band played a popular song; When The World Turned Upsidedown.

Now, we have a Sentaor granting the states a chance to opt out of a federal plan, one that is has no power to create under the Constitution. In the old days, we thought the Constitution granted powers to the federal government. Oh yes, Pelosi says the federal government does have the power in the commerce clause, the catch all of the left that was extended to address discrimination.

If the clause does work, then lets take over the candy bar business and lower prices. After all, Pelosi claims all commerce comes under the commerce clause. Then, lower the income to movie makers and stars. Clearly, they make too much and fly around in private planes, so the poor movie-goer is being ripped off by the Fat Moguls. Can you imagine that, John Travolta has his own jet. What an outrage.

As to Reid, I have withdrawn him from my evil-actors cubby hole, a good think as it is stuffed, and put him in the dufus one, next to the VIce President. I really think he is as clueless as he sounds. So, no more vitriol from me, only sympathy. The left has a useful idiot, as the Russians put it.

[dicere]

Healthcare is like a mushroom, the mycelium spreading insidiously below the ground, it's tentacles reaching out to find you and fine you for not having health insurance. You get pulled over for a minor traffic violation, the officer ask you for your health insurance card, it is not with you. Ouch $1000 fine and some fees thrown on by the locals.
Plus that cozy feeling of knowing my physical and mental health records are safe with my own personal number that only I, the government, and every heath official in the country can access.
This is going to be great!

[RobinLisak]

"Democratic leaders may capitulate to CONSERVATIVE demands" on the issue. CONSERVATIVE demands? How about the demands of the majority of the American people who want us to get the out-of-control federal spending under control first and then tackle this monster of a health care reform!