Obama to announce deal with House to pass Health Care Reform bill by July 31

WASHINGTON - President Obama will announce this morning that House Democrats have pledged to pass a health care reform bill by July 31 - a vow the White House believes will advance its goal of seeing health care legislation signed into law by year's end.

Obama will make the announcement after a scheduled meeting with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, Rep. Charlie Rangel, Rep. Henry Waxman and Rep. George Miller. All are top legislative players on health care and will stand with the president to symbolize their commitment to moving a bill before Congress leaves Washington for the August recess.

The announcement will not describe the contents of the health care bill - leaving key questions about funding, coverage, access for another day. The Obama strategy is to stay above the legislative fray, keeping the process moving forward and the industry players in the mix until the tough legislative choices are made this summer and fall. But this public commitment on timing, the White House believes, will help solidify legislative process that will procduce a bill and bring the nation closer than ever before to the Democrats' long-sought goal of universal health coverage.

House action by July 31 will set the stage for Senate action in September and October. Top White House advisers then envision completion of a conference committee merging the House and Senate bills before Congress adjourns for the year - allowing Obama to sign the historic legislation - which many Republicans critics could set the stage for "socialized" or "nationalized" health care - some time in November or December.

Senior White House officials regard this week as something of a break-through on health care, starting with Monday's non-specific and unenforceable commitment from doctors, hospitals, insurers and drug companies to reduce health care costs by $2 trillion over 10 years. Though this vague pledge has since drawn skepticism, top Obama advisers say it changes the political dynamic by depriving Republican critics of the grassroots and fund-raising clout that would be theirs if doctors, hospital, insurers and drug makers refused to cooperate with the White House - as they appear to be now.

"It's hard to talk about socialized medicine when the hospitals, doctors, insurers, the private sector players are working with us at the White House," a top White House official said.

With Tuesday's event highlighting private sector efforts to promote wellness, the White House continued its bid to reinforce the role industry can play in health care reform. The frame for the week is designed to calm fears about a government take-over of health care and today's schedule announcement will cap Obama's 3-day focus on health care.

These developments will also be fodder for Obama's road trip to Arizona and New Mexico later today and tomorrow. The White House delights in taking Washington-based actions on the road and is particularly eager to tout what they regard as Obama's unique ability to change the tone and politics of health care reform.

In truth, the main health care players see Obama and his Democratic allies have the votes necessary to pass health care in the House and Senate and have joined the White House effort to preserve their negotiating clout as the bill moves through the process.

"They made a business decision," a top White House adviser said of the industry moves this week - reinforced by a letter sent to Obama Tuesday promising to specificy cost-saving moves in the near future.