US House Speaker Pelosi says 'we're close to reconciliation' on health reform

Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi held a brief press availability with Chairman Charles Rangel, Chairman Henry Waxman, Chairman George Miller and Chairwoman Louise Slaughter following their meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House to discuss health care legislation and the reconciliation between the House and Senate versions of bills that have been passed in the respective Chambers (The Pharma Letters passim).

Following this, she commented: "We've had a very intense couple of days with meetings in our leadership, meetings with our staff. After our leadership meeting this morning, our staffs engaged with the Senate and the Administration's staff to review the legislation, suggest legislative language. I think we're very close to reconciliation, respectful of the challenges - policy and otherwise - in the House and in the Senate.'

During the press meeting, she was asked to mention a couple things for which she is hoping, to which she responded: 'What we're talking about is affordability and accountability. And I think that in both of the bills, the makings for great legislation is evident and present in both bills. So, it's not a question of adopting this or that. It's about addressing and meeting the needs of the American people - that this be affordable for the middle class - and to do that we have to hold the insurance companies accountable. Any legislation would have to be judged as to how it did that. Again, with the third 'A' - providing affordable access to affordable, quality health care at lower cost for the American people.'