The push for health care reform is moving fast and furiously, so I thought it’d be helpful to have semi-daily “Health on the Hill” updates that should help you keep track of the reform debate and get to the meat of the issue. Enjoy!

Today’s Updates – 10/26/09

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is making news today by announcing his merged Senate bill is ready and includes a public option. It is on its way to the Congressional Budget Office to be scored for cost, revenue and savings. That’s when we’ll know more about whether this bill will be the one to go to the floor to be voted on by the entire Senate. Once the bill is scored and more information on the legislation is released, we’ll also know more about the public option that is included. It is a public option that will allow states to “opt out” of offering it to their residents. Depending on who will make this decision for the state and when they would have to opt out by, this may be a decent compromise (except for those in the states that will be opting out of course). However, it seems the President is advocating for a “trigger” option, which is basically only implementing a public option if necessary down the road. Why he would advocate for that instead of this opt-out option, which contradicts his initial message surrounding health care reform, is a bit suspect since the “trigger” option has more support from the insurance industry.

In the House, the word is that their merged bill may be released this week after all.

Senate healthcare bill to include public option, Reid says

Fueling the push for a new government insurance plan, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said today that his chamber’s healthcare bill would include a compromise that would create a nationwide public option but give states the right to opt out.

Will Obama Press the Public Option?

The White House is looking for a political victory on health care, and if a public option looks unlikely or impossible to pass, Obama is unlikely to waste political capital on it. But his support may be the deciding factor. The White House blog insists that the administration backs Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid’s public option push, but not everyone sees action behind the words.

HEALTHCARE UPDATE: Next Two Weeks Hold Key to Passage

House Democratic leaders are hoping to unveil health reform legislation this week so they can vote on the package by November 6. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) has warned Members of Congress to be available Saturday November 7 and possibly the Monday and Tuesday before Veterans Day so that the House can vote on healthcare. Moving that quickly would certainly put the House out in front of the Senate on healthcare.