By Kate Steadman

The GOP is reportedly set to release a new alternative to the House bill, signaling a strategy shift as the House begins debate this week on the almost 2,000 page Democratic overhaul bill.

House Minority Leader John Boehner speaks behind a copy of the Democrat's version of the health care bill during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009.

House Minority Leader John Boehner speaks behind a copy of the Democrat's version of the health care bill during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009.

(Harry Hamburg/AP)

The aim of the Republican bill? To "make the current system work better," Minority Leader John Boehner said over the weekend.

He announced the change in the Saturday Republican video address, and ex veep candidate Sarah Palin plugged it on her popular Facebook page, calling it a "game changer."

Allah Pundit of the major conservative opinion site Hot Air says that's an unusual endorsement from Palin -- she's usually critical of party leaders.

The Republican bill has not been released yet, but the GOP's congressional Web site says it will be offered during floor debate this week. The bill is said to emphasize familiar items on the Republican wish-list: allowing insurance policies to be sold across state lines; allowing for the creation of more small group association pools; and reforms surrounding medical malpractice lawsuits. Boehner also mentioned expanding state high-risk pools on CNN's "State of the Union."

Those high-risk pools are special insurance plans offered by some state governments for people who have pre-existing conditions. The drawback is those plans tend to charge very high premiums and often include waiting periods for coverage of pre-existing conditions.

What's unclear is whether the GOP bill will contain new methods to encourage consumers to join such high-risk pools. Time's Karen Tumulty pointed out, "That is not a new idea -- some states have had these pools for three decades -- or a solution for many. These pools already exist in more than 30 states, but they tend to be too expensive for those with limited means to buy into. And often, people cannot get into them for as long as a year after they apply."

Steadman is a reporter for Kaiser Health News, a nonprofit news service.

categories: Health Overhaul

5:22 - November 2, 2009

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