Hoyer could back bill without public option

by Jennifer Haberkorn

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Tuesday that he was willing to vote for a health care reform bill that does not have a controversial "public" insurance option because the current proposals contain many positive insurance industry reforms.

"If the public option weren't in there, I would still support the bill," said Mr. Hoyer, Maryland Democrat, pointing, for instance, to changes that would ban insurance companies from denying coverage to patients with pre-existing health problems.

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