House speaker: House won’t pass health overhaul bill without public plan

Pelosi: House health bill needs public plan

SAN FRANCISCO — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says there’s no way the House can pass a health overhaul bill that doesn’t include a new public insurance plan.

Her comments at a news conference Thursday in San Francisco come as the White House faces a liberal backlash for indicating openness to leaving a public plan out of a final health bill.

Pelosi has said repeatedly that health care legislation in the House would have a public plan, but her statement Thursday left no room for doubt.

Liberals insist a new public insurance plan is essential, but Republicans almost uniformly oppose it.