Washington: The leader of the US House of Representatives, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, says new health care legislation will make affordable, quality health care available to nearly all Americans and represents an historic step.
The retooled $894 billion health overhaul bill she presented on Thursday delivers on many of President Barack Obama's goals for reshaping the US health care system.
It represents months of negotiations to bridge differences between liberal and moderate Democrats.
The bill would extend coverage to 36 million more Americans, bar insurance companies from denying coverage based on health history and require employers to offer coverage to their workers.
The measure is expected to pass in the House where Democrats have a majority but faces much tougher sledding in the Senate where debate could last weeks.
