As previously reported, on June 17, 2009, the chairmen of the three House committees that share jurisdiction over health policy released a “discussion draft” of their comprehensive health reform plan. A revised version of the bill, the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 (H.R. 3200), was unveiled on July 14, 2009. In short, the legislation would: create a public health insurance plan to compete with private insurers; expand access to insurance include low-income subsidies, creation of a health insurance exchange, Medicaid expansion, and private insurance market reforms; impose mandates for individuals to purchase insurance and employers to contribute to health care costs (with certain exceptions); and make extensive Medicare and Medicaid policy changes affecting virtually every type of health care entity. On July 17, 2009, the Ways and Means Committee approved H.R. 3200, followed the same day by House Education and Labor Committee approval of an amended version of the legislation. The third House committee with jurisdiction — Energy and Commerce — began consideration of the legislation on July 17. Energy and Commerce Committee markup has been suspended, however, while Chairman Henry Waxman negotiates with more conservative Democratic members of the panel concerned with the costs of the bill and other features of the legislation, such as regional disparities in payment levels. Eventually the work of the three committees will be melded into one bill for a House vote, followed by reconciliation with the Senate package later in the year.