Governor Schwarzenegger doesn't join GOP criticism of House health care bill

Kitty Felde/KPCC

Anti-abortion protestors at Democratic health care bill unveiling

House Democrats unveiled the health care bill they plan to take to the floor next week. No Republicans are expected to vote for it, but one prominent California Republican does support health care reform.

More than a hundred Democratic members of Congress marched down the steps of the Capitol to promote a health care bill that includes a public insurance option. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the measure would also expand the Medicaid program to cover more poor people.

"Today, we are about to deliver on the promise of making affordable, quality health care available for all Americans," said Pelosi.

Many Republicans have labeled the bill “a government takeover” of health care. But Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, in the nation’s capital to receive a pair of awards, did not echo his GOP colleagues.

"It’s very important that we create reform, because there’s just too many people that are uninsured, and I think that’s unacceptable," said Schwarzenegger. "This is why it’s good that the administration is getting creative and finding a way to insure everybody."

California officials are concerned that expanding Medicaid could cost the state more than a billion dollars a year for its portion of the program.